The Able Sisters
by gingermemequeen
Summary: (an Animal Crossing fanfiction) Daughters of tailors, three sisters-Label, Sable, and Mabel-live in the quiet town of Animal Village. When a tragic accident leaves them orphaned, the sisters must now decide how they want to lead their new lives. Through their encounters with love, heartbreak, and dreams, they come to understand what it is that truly makes up a family.
1. Chapter 1

On a hot summer day in Animal Village, a family of five hedgehogs sat in the corner of a tailor shop, watching as the mother hedgehog, a beautiful creature with dark blue spikes, used her claws to carefully stitch a brand new blue dress for the youngest of the hedgehog family, Mabel.

The father hedgehog watched his wife while the three daughters glanced at her from afar.

The middle child, Sable, watched her mother intently as she carefully moved her fingers to make sure the dress was sewn just right. She glanced down at her own dark brown paws and wondered if perhaps she could one day be as good of a seamstress as her mother.

A giggle sounded from behind her, and she turned to find her older sister, Label, holding the youngest, Mabel, in her arms. Mabel clapped her dark blue paws excitedly as her mother sewed while Label grinned slightly.

Label was the prettiest of the family, there was no doubt, with her unique purple fur and careful eye make-up that she had worked so long to perfect. Sable felt her looks lacked in comparison to that of her older sister's, despite her mother's ringing endorsements that they were all as pretty as a peach.

"Down! Down!" Mabel yelled at Sable, her toddler voice echoing throughout the shop.

Label carefully set her sister down, and Sable watched as Mabel staggered on her stubby legs to where her mother was using the sewing machine.

Her mother let out a quiet giggle looking down at Mabel.

"I'm almost done. I promise," she told Mabel, poking her on the nose. Mabel giggled and ran to Sable's side this time, clinging to her leg.

"It's a good thing she's getting a new dress. This green one has seen other days," Label remarked, looking down at Mabel. Sable nodded, noticing the holes and stains on Mabel's dress. It was her favorite, and she wore it everywhere-when they fished, caught bugs with their father, stargazed, and so forth.

"Done!" Sable's mother called at last, holding the new dress in the air. Mabel clapped her hands together.

"Let's go try it on!" Label suggested, grabbing Mabel's small hand. Sable turned and watched as they ascended up the stairs.

The family ran a small shop in town called "Able Tailors." The shop was made of creaky wood that was painted white and lined with red. The shop was situated on the bottom floor. Her parents worked day and night sewing new outfits and accessories for the villagers that wandered in, looking for a few outfit.

Upstairs was their living area. It was small, Sable had to admit. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen, one bathroom, and a small living area, but it was home. Though her family was not swimming in cash, she was content with her life, and she looked forward to the day that she could master the sewing machine as well as her parents.

Footsteps echoed through the shop, and Mabel reappeared wearing her new dress.

"My, aren't you lovely!" her mother exclaimed, picking Mabel up and swinging her around. Mabel released tiny giggles while her father chuckled from afar.

"We'll have to show you around town later," her mother decided, looking at Mabel. She glanced at the clock, her eyes widening.

"My, it's late! Off to bed, girls!" her mother said, glancing at Label and Sable. The two both side but retreated up the stairs to their small bedroom. Mabel still slept with their parents, but it had been made clear that one day she would join the room. Sable could only imagine how cramped it would be then.

Sable walked into her room. There were two twin beds, a purple one for Label, and a green one for Sable. Label's side of the room was lined with makeup, sketchpads, and random squares of fabric.

Label took a seat on her bed and immediately grabbed for her sketchbook, beginning to draw.

"Didn't you hear Mom? It's time for bed," Sable spoke quietly.

Sable loved her sister, but Label was never one to listen to directions. At sixteen, Label was well into her teenage years, and while she complied to her parents' wishes, Sable knew she desired more.

Sable, on the other hand, was three years younger, and even though Label craved more independence, Sable was content where she was and how she lived.

"I just need to finish this sketch," Label assured her.

Sable lifted an eyebrow. "Can't you just finish it in the morning?"

Label groaned. "I've told you. When my visions come to me, I have to act soon or I'll forget about them later. Ah-I snapped my pencil!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation.

Sable let out a sigh and got under her sheets. Label too had a passion for sewing, but not in the same way as Sable. Label, she could tell, was not a fan of their small village. She spoke constantly of city life and models and the finest clothing stores. She had made it known that her dream in life was to become a fashion designer above all else.

"But don't you like it here?" Sable had asked. "The city is crowded and loud and bright."

Label had only laughed at her. "It sounds wonderful. I'd love to hear something else besides crickets at night."

Sable rolled on her side as she listened to Label trace the pencil against her sketchpad. Sable had dreams of her own, but none were as extravagant as Label's. All she wanted to do was sew. Her mother had been giving her lessons since she was younger, and while Sable had improved, she never produced anything as good as what her parents did.

Sable wanted to own the shop one day as well. It had been a family business, and Sable wanted to continue it, even if Label would be busy in the city. As for Mabel, it was still too early to know what her sister wanted, but she would sometimes "help" her parents in the shop. And by help, she meant that Mabel would gather fabric when they asked her to or would hold a corner down while they sewed. But Mabel seemed to enjoy it all the same.

Label's pencil scratches died down, and a few moments later, the light flickered out.

"Night, Label," Sable whispered.

"Night," Label replied.

"Love you," Sable spoke quietly.

There was a long pause before Label whispered, "Love you, too."


	2. Chapter 2

Label's mother grasped her hands and stared deep into her eyes. "It'll only be a day trip. We'll be back before bedtime," she promised, pressing her lips to Label's forehead.

It was a cooler summer day, and in the distance, rainclouds had begun to roll in, shading the town in a dark gray. They stood at the bus stop, awaiting the next trip to the city. Label glanced to her side where Sable sat in the grass and played with Mabel. She could hear their laughs behind her.

"You're in charge while we're gone," her father said. His dark brown figure towered over her, and she nodded her head. The last thing Label wanted to do was be in charge of babysitting, but like her parents said, it would only be a day.

Sable had gotten up and joined them now.

"What time will you be back?" she asked.

"Probably around sunset," her father figured.

"Why are you going again?" Label asked. She knew her parents had mentioned it at some point, but sometimes she got so lost in her drawings that she didn't even think to listen.

"We're picking up some fabric," her mother explained. She exchanged glances with Label's father, then grinned. "We might even try to make a deal with one of the clothing stores in the city."

"That'd be great for the store!" Sable exclaimed excitedly.

Label's eyes widened. "Why can't I come to the city with you?"

Her mother laughed. "Mabel is too much to handle for one hedgehog. I need you to stay with your sister and help watch her. Maybe one day you can join us."

Label sighed as her father placed his large hand on her shoulder. "We'll be back before you know it."

The sound of rolling wheels against cobblestone and a loud engine halted their conversation. Label glanced up to see a large red bus pull up to the bus stop.

"Well, that'd be us!" her mother exclaimed, slipping her simple brown bag over her shoulder. "Be good, girls!"

They all three nodded and watched as their parents hopped onto the bus, disappearing from their view. The doors closed behind them, shutting them inside. Label watched, disappointed, as the bus slowly faded into the surroundings.

"Let's go back home. It's not nice out here," Sable suggested. A wind had picked up, and Label could only assume that a regular summer thunderstorm was on its way.

"All right," Label agreed.

They retreated back inside, locking the door behind them. Sable had begged their parents to let her run the shop in their absence, but her mother had deemed her not ready yet. So instead, they spent the day upstairs in the living room where the calm orange light from a lamp flooded the room.

Label sat on the couch, using her anger to fuel more fashion designs. These trips to the city were not often for her parents, and she knew another opportunity to visit the city would not come in a long time. Her parents knew of her desire to be a fashion designer and see the greater world, and while they were supportive, they never seemed to care enough to help her get there.

Label, with a blue pencil, shaded in the new skirt she had designed. Sable was on the floor, assisting Mabel with her building blocks. In the distance, she began to hear the sound of rain tapping against the window.

"One day they'll let me go to the city," Label muttered. Her parents had taken her and Sable both when they were very young. It was long before Mabel was born, and Label's memories were blurred of the trip. Even still, she remembered bright lights and colorful animals and the pleasant sound of chatter echoing through the streets. She longed for it again.

Sable let out a giggle beside her. "I don't know when they'd plan on taking you."

Label narrowed her eyes. "I've done a lot around here to help out since I was younger. Don't you think Mom and Dad owe me at least one trip?"

Sable shrugged, handing a wooden block to Mabel. She was carefully assembling them into a tower.

"You know money is already tight. I think...I think you should just be happy with what you have," Sable simply said.

"Oh, look at you, miss humble," Label snapped.

Sable rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if you even care for your family at times," she mumbled.

Label gripped the edge of the arm chair with her nails, ready to fight Sable on this. How dare she accuse her of something so heartless? She raised her paw, about to take their argument to the next level when a flash of lightning lit up the house. The room went dark in an instant, and thunder rumbled through the sky.

Mabel's block tower tumbled to the ground, and at that moment, she began to wail.

Sable began comforting Mabel while Label reached around in cabinets in the dark for spare candles. Her claws clanked against the various objects in their cupboard. Rain pounded down on the rooftop while Mabel's cries echoed across the room.

At last, Label's paws enclosed around a wide, circular candle that had been probably been left over from winter. A matchbox rested against it.

Another flash of lightning lit up the room. Label carefully set the candle on the table and lit a match, once again bringing light into the room. Soon enough, the candle was lit, and Mabel's cries calmed.

"See, Label fixed it," Sable mumbled to Mabel who continued to sniffle.

The sky remained dark outside. Label approached the window and watched as the rain droplets dripped down the glass pane, distorting her view of the landscape.

"I'm hungry," Mabel whined.

"I'll get dinner going," Label offered. She guessed it was around evening time now. The sky had been so darkened by the thunderstorm that it almost seemed like nighttime.

"I'll look for more candles," Sable said.

"Come on, Mabel. You can help," said Label, extending her purple paw to Mabel. Mabel gripped on and followed Label into the kitchen.

Label glanced around the dark kitchen. She retrieved a spare flashlight from the cupboard and scoured the cabinets.

"Not sure what's going to work," she murmured.

"Just do the best you can!" Sable called from across the room. Label could hear her moving around objects in the closet in her desperate search for more candles.

Label picked Mabel up into her arms and shined a light at the cupboard.

"Let's see. We got bread, crackers, some soup...I don't think that'd taste good cold, do you?" Label asked, glancing down at Mabel.

Mabel shook her head.

Label laughed slightly.

"I want PB&J!" Mabel decided.

Label shrugged. "I guess that'd work." Sable had begun setting candles around the house, slowly bringing more light around them.

"Hey, we're having sandwiches," Label called as she sat Mabel down in her booster seat at the kitchen table.

"Sounds good to me," Sable agreed.

While Sable crafted a sandwich to herself, Label took special care making Mabel's sandwich, using only creamy peanut butter (not that gross crunchy kind), and a small amount of jelly. She cut the sandwich into bite size pieces, just as Mabel liked them.

"Your dinner is served," Label told her younger sister, setting the plate down in front of her. Mabel clapped her hands excitedly and bit into a square.

"Thank you, sissy!" she exclaimed, her mouth full of peanut butter.

Label sat down across from Sable and bit into her sandwich. She had also made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as well. She had not eaten one since she was younger, but for some reason, it had appealed to her tonight.

"Do you think Mom and Dad are okay?" Sable wondered, glancing out the window at the storm outside.

"I think so. They can always stay in the city if the buses aren't running," Label assured her.

Sable nodded, continuing to nibble on her sandwich.

As Label put away plates, Sable was busy tucking Mabel in bed for the night. She assumed their parents would be home soon, assuming the storm hadn't affected their travel. Despite Mabel's argument that she could stay up, Label knew her parents had wanted Mabel in bed by the time they got home.

As Label finished putting the last dish away, Sable emerged from the bedroom.

"Is she asleep?" Label asked.

Sable nodded. She let out a small sigh, then spoke. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, by the way. I-I know you care about us. I wasn't being kind. Sorry."

Label gave a weak smile. "That's all right. I...I am a brat sometimes, aren't I?"

"Uh..."

Label giggled. "It's all right! You can admit it!"

At that moment, the room was filled with electric light again. Label breathed a sigh of relief. The power had returned, and it seemed the storm was beginning to die down.

"I'll blow out the candles," Sable offered.

Label nodded. She retrieved her notebook from the couch, ready to head into her bedroom, when the phone rang. She glanced to her side, but Sable was busy blowing out the many candles she had placed around the room.

Label moved toward the phone and grasped it.

"Hello?"

An unknown voice came from the other line.

"Hello, is this the Able residence?"

"Yes," Label replied, twisting her claw around the phone cord. "Who is this?"

"I'm part of the police force. I'm trying to contact the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Able," the voice responded.

"This is Label. I'm the eldest," Label explained, beginning to get nervous. She had expected a call from her parents. Why were the police calling now?

"Is your sister, ah...Sable, there as well?"

"Yes..." At this point, Sable had been shooting Label odd looks from across the room. She motioned her younger sister over, whispering, "The police are calling."

"Hello?" Sable spoke into the phone.

"Are both on the phone now?"

"Yes," Label confirmed.

"I have some unfortunate news to bestow. A bus left the city at approximately 6:00 p.m. this evening in the wake of a large storm. The bus crashed on its route, harming and killing a fair amount of animals inside. It is with a heavy heart that I say this, but, Mr. and Mrs. Able are dead."

Label released the phone from her grasp. With only the wire keeping it from clanging against the floor, it swayed back and forth on the countertop.

Sable released a cry and Label knelt to the ground, placing her head in her hands. It was as if her life flashed before her eyes. Images of her parents surrounding her since childhood flooded her memory, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Tears dripped down her arms while Sable let out weeps beside her. How could their lives have been altered so greatly in just one sentence?


	3. Chapter 3

There was not much Sable, or Label, or anyone could do afterwards. Sable remembered her heart-breaking conversation with Mabel, who barely understood what was going on, after she was awoken by their cries.

Sable remembered the grim day when their parents were laid to rest. Clouds hung over the sky while cicadas let out deafening screeches from the trees nearby. Mayor Tortimer expressed his condolences, and the whole town mourned. The tailor shop was closed until it could be figured out, and Sable and her sisters were left alone.

There was no family to take them in, no where for them to go except where they were. Label made known they were old enough to live alone, and Sable remembered all the essential home skills her mother had taught her, but none was enough to make her satisfied. There was an empty hole in her chest now that could never be filled.

It was Mabel she mourned the most. Her younger sister had trouble comprehending the idea of death and the idea that her parents were gone. It took all out of Sable when time and time she had to explain that their parents weren't coming back. Finally, somehow, it seemed to seep into Mabel's mind, and her cheerful personality seemed to vanish also.

Rent was little on the house, but with a stable income gone, the sisters had to resort to other methods to make money. Label would pick the fruit off the trees while Sable took her parents' old shovel and dug around for fossils, anything that might make them some bit of cash.

Of course, Label hated the idea of roaming around and scavenging like they were worth nothing. She complained of her nails, her reputation, and spoke even more of her fashion designer dreams, and generally seemed to not do her share of the work. Sable felt like she had taken over the household more than her older sister.

One morning, while Label sat inside, working away on her sketches, Sable decided to go out looking for some ways to make cash again. She brought Mabel around with her, and the toddler scurried on her little feet after her sister.

While the days were hot, it had become cold in the morning, and Sable knew that autumn would be upon them soon. The leaves were already beginning to take on a yellowish tinge.

"What we looking for?" Mabel asked as Sable walked along the trees.

"More fruit, I guess," Sable admitted. She glanced up at the luscious leaves. hoping to find at least one that carried some sort of fruit.

"Up there! Up there!" Mabel called, pointing her chubby hand at the tree above.

Sable glanced up to find bright red cherries glistening in the sunlight. She patted Mabel on the forehead and grinned.

"Thanks, sis. Maybe we can have some cherry pie tonight with the leftovers," Sable suggested. Mabel giggled and grinned as Sable shook the tree back and forth.

Tiny cherries dropped down. As the tree moved back and forth with Sable's push, Mabel followed the descending cherries and gathered them up in her paws.

"Put them in the basket," Sable told her sister as she gave the tree one more shake.

She turned around and watched as Mabel tossed little piles of cherries into an old wicker basket that their mother had laid aside for sewing supplies. Sable felt deep nostalgia looking at. She couldn't even imagine the last time she'd try to sew. Keeping the family together was more important.

"Sissy, what's this?" Mabel asked, picking up a large wooden stick.

"Huh?" Sable asked. She dropped a handful of cherries into the basket and went to investigate. Mabel struggled to hold the object, and when Sable glanced down to get a good look at it, she realized Sable was holding a fishing rod.

"What a score!" Sable exclaimed, whisking the rod away from Mabel's hands. It was an old fishing rod, not in the best condition. It was worn down and covered in scratches, but still appeared functional.

"What is it?" Mabel wondered.

"We can catch fish with it!" Sable exclaimed. "We could get some more money than the fruit, and it could make a delicious meal."

Mabel stuck out her tongue. "I don't like fish."

"Well, you won't get cherry pie if you don't eat it," Sable teased, feeling a bit familiar again. There were little moments she felt with Mabel sometimes that brought her a sense of joy and familiarity. But all too soon she remembered why they were out here picking cherries, and the joy was gone again.

"Let's try it," Sable suggested. She grabbed the basket of cherries and headed toward the river. The current made a pleasing sound as a gentle wind whistled through the trees. Sable sat down on the grassy edge of the river and motioned Mabel to sit down next to her.

Mabel plopped herself down and watched with eagerness as Sable cast the rod into the clear blue water.

"Have you caught a fish yet?" Mabel asked.

"Not yet. It's going to take time," Sable explained, laughing slightly. Her stomach rumbled at the idea of fresh fish and a bit more cash to buy more food. They'd spent so long living off nothing, it would be nice to have a treat now and again.

Quite some time passed before Sable could feel anything pulling at the rod. She found herself dozing off as she stared at the currents until she felt a small tug.

"I feel something!" she gasped. She glanced over, but Mabel was dead asleep on the grass. The idea of fishing was obviously not as exciting as it had once seemed.

The tug came harder now, and with a heave, Sable pulled the rod out. She waited with anticipation, wondering what it would be. When she could finally see the fish dangling from the hook, her heart sank, and she realized it was nothing more than a small gray fish. She could eat one all by herself. It wouldn't be enough to feed them all.

She continued fishing late into the afternoon, wondering if Label would ever be bothered by their absence, but her sister never came. Sable grew tired after repeated attempts, and she began gathering everything up. She'd caught three measly fish, which would be enough for dinner, but wouldn't make that much money if she decided to sell it.

"I thought you were gonna catch a big fish," Mabel complained.

"Guess there weren't that many big fish today," Sable sighed, wrapping the fish in some extra cloth.

"More tomorrow?" Mabel thought.

Sable shrugged, trying to be as hopeful as possible for her sister. "Yeah, more tomorrow. There'll be some big fish in there."

She stood up, ready to leave, when she heard a deep voice.

"Hey, wait!"

She spun around to find Hopper, one of the residents of the town, wobbling toward them. He waddled toward them with his orange feet and plump black body, carrying a blue and white cooler and a fishing rod.

"Hey, Hopper. Good afternoon," Sable said.

He pushed the cooler toward the two.

Sable glanced up at him with confusion.

"Go on. Take it," he said. "There's a whole days worth of fish in there. You can keep the cooler too."

"Yay, big fish!" Mabel exclaimed, opening up the cooler to glance at the goodies inside herself.

"We couldn't possibly. I'm sure you spent all day fishing for those," Sable said.

He shrugged. "Fishing's a hobby, not a job. Just a little favor, that's all. I bought a nice shirt from the shop awhile back. Just a thank you, I guess."

"Well...thank you," Sable said, reluctantly accepting the gift. "If there's any way we can repay you."

He just grinned and shook his head and waddled away, leaving the two again.

"Let's go get some bells," Sable said to Mabel. She handed her sister the basket of cherries, and they set off.

When they came home later after making some bells and buying some more essentials, Label was still resting on the couch. She narrowed her eyes as they came up the stairs.

"Where were you all day?"

"We got fish!" Mabel exclaimed.

Label groaned. "Ew, fish. I always hated it. Where'd you get some anyway?"

"We found a rod," Sable exclaimed, laying the fresh fish down on the counter and placing away groceries.

"And Mr. Hopper gave us some!" Mabel continued.

"Hopper? What'd he do?"

"He gave us a cooler and some fish. I didn't want to accept it, but he insisted. It made some decent cash," Sable admitted.

"Ugh, I hate living like this, relying off donations from others," Label complained.

"Why didn't you help out today?" Sable asked.

"I picked some apples!" Label argued, pointing to four red apples laying on the counter. Sable rolled her eyes, not impressed with her sister's hard work.

"Look, things are going to be hard from now on. That's just how it will be. If you don't want to feel pitied, then help out once in a while, will you?" Sable grumbled.

"I am! I made three new designs today. When I start my own fashion line, we'll have the finest home and can sell this old shop," Label explained.

"Yeah. Sure," Sable mumbled. "Now help me make dinner."

Label finally threw her sketchbook down and joined her sister, and the three stood in the kitchen, chatting silently about their day, never once mentioning the dark cloud that hung over all of them. How could they? There was nothing they could no, nowhere they could go. For now, they just had to survive.


	4. Chapter 4

Label had been the most impacted by her parents' deaths. Suddenly a responsibility had been thrown on her that she had never expected to take on a life, and her aspiring dreams to move the city grew dimmer and dimmer as the days passed on.

The hot summer days had come to an end, and autumn had arrived. The trees had begun changing color, turning from bright green to shades of red, yellow, and orange. The air had become cold again, and the wind began to howl more loudly as it rushed against the closed tailor shop.

Label did her best to cook the meals for her sisters and to gather what she could. But the thought of handling fish was disgusting, picking fruit from trees brought stares from the neighbors, and handling a dirty shovel was the last thing she wanted to do. It was so much easier to curl up on the couch and design, just like she'd always done, as if nothing had changed.

Label hated feeling needy. She hated the pitied glances neighbors would give her and the various visitors they'd get, offering their condolences and offering assistance, as if there was anything they could do. Their parents were gone. There was no one and certainly no action that could replace them.

Label was in charge of rent, and she cleaned when she could, and sometimes she took goods to be sold, but Sable had been the one to really take over. It was Sable who was the first one to stop crying. Sable was the first to rest her hand on her sister's shoulder and offer comfort. It was Sable who had told Mabel.

Before Label even realized what was happening, Sable had taken over the household, even if she was a few years younger. She took over the daily tasks of her parents and in the meantime nagged Label about what she was or wasn't doing.

Label wanted to help, she truly did, but her sister's constant comments only made her furious, and some days, she'd leave her chores aside and retreat into her parents' bedroom to work, hoping to catch their scent on the covers or anxiously awaiting their nonexistent return.

What hurt the most was Mabel's attachment to Sable. Mabel had always favored both sisters, and Label enjoyed spending time with her. She wasn't old enough to have her own opinions or to grasp the reality of the real world. Her dreams were still within reach while Label's seemed to float away with each passing day.

But Mabel had grown increasingly attached to Sable and followed her everywhere she went, leaving Label alone once again.

A gentle rain came down one morning. Label had risen early and sat on the couch, sketching new designs like she always did. Though this particular morning she had hit a block and could not think of a single thing to draw. This frustrated her more than anything else. It had never been hard to design before, so why now?

"Morning," Sable grumbled as she walked into the kitchen, retrieving a glass of water.

"Morning," Label replied quietly, glancing outside. The weather seemed so peaceful. It was hard to believe that only a bit more rain had been the ultimate cause of their parents' deaths.

"What are you going to do today?" Sable asked.

Label shrugged. "Draw, I guess."

"Can't you do something productive?" Sable wondered.

"I am being productive! I'm fulfilling my dream," Label huffed, turning away from Sable.

"But we need some help selling things and gathering and making trips to the store," Sable continued. "You can't just sit around on a couch all day and do nothing."

"It's raining!" Label complained.

"Get an umbrella then," Sable argued.

"What? So I can slip in the mud while I attempt to pick gross fruit from trees. If I have to eat another apple I'm going to throw up!" Label began spewing words without comprehending them. She was frustrated, they all were, but Sable was better at handling it than her. She always had been more calm and ready to deal with issues.

Label remembered how her mother would calmly speak to her and help her whenever she faced a particularly challenging issue. Her mother had always been there to hear Label out, to understand where she was coming from, but now she was gone, and Sable could not replace their mother.

"You need to do something," was all Sable muttered.

"Why are you yelling?" Mabel asked from the doorway of her bedroom.

"It's nothing. Want some breakfast?" Sable quickly replied.

Label shot her sister a glance, as if keeping Mabel from conflict would do well for her. She wasn't even sure if her toddler sister understood the death herself. Sometimes she'd still ask when their parents were returning, which only brought tears to Label's eyes.

"Fine. I'll go," Label said, throwing her sketchbook down on the couch. It wasn't like she was being productive anyway.

She slipped on her rain boots and grabbed an umbrella. With each step she took down to the bottom of the building, she let out a huff of anger.

She threw the door open from the entrance of the shop and locked it behind her. The rain was still light and gentle, almost calming somehow. She trudged over the brown grass as she listened to the rain drip beside her.

The rest of the villagers remained in their houses, enjoying the rainy day from the comfort of their warm homes. Label envied them.

She marched past the fruit trees and the river until she came to Town Hall. Grass was replaced by concrete, and a streetlamp lit up the area. She quickly approached the door and stepped inside, glad to be free from the cold rain.

She closed her umbrella and looked ahead. Pelly, the post office worker, glanced up at Label's arrival.

"Oh, Label, you're back," she said.

"Is Mayor Tortimer here?" Label wondered, glancing behind the white pelican.

"He's in his office. I can see if he's available though," Pelly explained.

"That'd be great, thanks," Label replied. Pelly vanished, leaving Label to glance around town hall and listen to the monotone ticking of the clock. Her visits had been frequent, but none had turned out as she'd expected.

"He says he'll see you," Pelly spoke as she returned, letting Label through.

Label found her way to the office where Mayor Tortimer sat, glancing at assorted papers. He glanced up as Label walked in, and she immediately took a seat.

"Label, back again, I see. What can I do for you?" he asked, adjusting his small, black glasses.

"Have you heard anything else about organizations that could help us?" Label asked.

Tortimer shook his head. "Afraid not. This is a small village. We are not as privileged as those who live in the city or bigger towns. How are you doing?"

Label shook her head. "It's been awful. I hate being like this. I hate seeing my sisters like this. We can't go around scavenging all day."

"Label, you have come many times since the unfortunate passing of your parents. I have done my best to assist you. I've sent neighbors your way, helped you out in my own way, and so forth, but I cannot do as much as you ask," Tortimer explained. "This is a very difficult time, and I understand that. I wish I could help you in a greater way, but I've done all I can."

Label glanced down, hoping to hide her tears.

"I just want life to be normal again," she muttered.

Tortimer sighed. "Have you thought of reopening the shop?"

Label shook her head. "Sable and I haven't sewed in months, and we're not nearly as skilled as our parents. My passion is fashion design anyway, something city related."

"Maybe you should look into that," Tortimer said, rising from his desk. "As I said, I'll let you know if I hear anything else, but don't be afraid to reach out to some more colleagues."

"I just want the best for my family," Label explained.

The old tortoise dipped his head. "I understand. I wish you the best of luck."

Label nodded and dipped out of his office and quickly out of town hall, shading her tears with the large umbrella she held in her hand. Her sisters knew nothing of her visits to Tortimer or her plea for outside help. She wasn't sure why she hadn't told them, most likely because she was embarrassed.

It was even more embarrassing, however, to leave once again with nothing that could aid them.


	5. Chapter 5

The end of October neared, and while others spoke of Halloween and Jack's return to Animal Village, the three Able Sisters were locked away inside their home, making do with what they had.

Sable prepared a lunch of hot soup for her siblings while Label sat on the couch as she always did, drawing away while Mabel wandered around with her various toys, playing games with herself since her sisters did not have the time to.

As Sable slowly stirred the metal pot, she felt Mabel pull on her. Sabel glanced down at the blue porcupine.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I want to be a princess for Halloween," Mabel explained.

Sable grinned and laughed slightly. "Weren't you a princess last year?"

"Yes, but I can have a blue dress now," Mabel replied.

"There won't be a Halloween!" Label shouted from the living room. Sable narrowed her eyes and glanced back at Mabel.

"What does she mean, sissy?"

"Never mind her," Sable replied. "Lunch will be ready in a little bit. Why don't you get out of your pajamas?"

Mabel nodded and wandered away while Sable began pouring soup into bowls. Label appeared at the entrance of the kitchen, giving her sister a sour face.

"You know she can't dress up."

"I know that," Mabel replied, annoyed. "You don't have to tell her though."

"Don't get her hopes too high, that's all," Label suggested.

"She's only three," Sable snapped.

Label sighed and grabbed a bowl from her sister. "Do you remember when the shop was always so busy at this time. People from all over wanted to buy costumes. Mom and Dad were working day and night just to make everyone happy."

Sable grinned. "Yes, I remember."

"I wonder where they'll all get their costumes next year."

Sable sighed. Their conversation fell silent as Mabel appeared again, and soon, all girls were eating in silence.

After lunch was over, they each put on their heavy coats and headed out. Label went to sell more goods while Sable and Mabel thought of trying their hand at fishing again. The wind was blowing wildly as they stepped outside, blowing leaves across the sky.

They approached the river's edge to find rapid currents.

"Maybe we shouldn't fish today," Sable suggested.

Mabel was upset, repeating how she wanted to see the fishies. She let out angry cries and all Sable could do was sigh and attempt to comfort her, knowing this was all hard on Mabel. She knew her sister didn't understand much of it herself, yet they had to keep living.

When Mabel finally had been consoled, they spent the remainder of the day picking more fruit off the trees. A few neighbors came by and offered to help, so for a while, they had company, which was pleasant.

With a basket full of fruit, they made their way back home, ready to deliver more tasks for Label. As they walked by, a black dog held the hand of her child. The smaller dog excitedly spoke to his mother, speaking of his desires for Halloween.

Sable couldn't help but feel guilty as she looked down at Mabel. Perhaps Label was right. Maybe she shouldn't have been giving Sable hope where it wouldn't be found.

Upon arriving home, they found Label still sitting on the couch, as if she'd never left.

"We have more fruit for you to sell," Sable explained, dropping the heavy basket of oranges at Label's feet.

Label let out a groan of exasperation.

"Do I really need to do that now? I just sold a whole bunch of stuff," she explained, not looking up from her work.

Sable narrowed her eyes. "All you have to do is sell it. It'll take less than an hour," she promised.

"Then we can look for costumes!" Mabel exclaimed.

"You still haven't told her?" Label asked, glancing at Sable.

"I was-"

Label finally threw her book down and crouched down next to Mabel. "Mabel, we can't buy any costumes this year. We don't have the money. You can't be a blue princess."

Tears welled up in Mabel's eyes. "But Sable said."

"Maybe next year," Label promised, squeezing Mabel's hand. It didn't matter. The toddler burst into tears anyway.

"Look what you did!" Sable shouted at her sister. She grabbed Mabel's hand and lifted her into her arms. Her younger sister cried into her shoulder.

"I'm just telling her the truth!" Label exclaimed.

"You go around telling me not to be so positive, to take in what's happened, but you don't do anything! You just sit there and draw in that sketchbook. You do a minimal amount of chores, and you just complain all the time. I'm sick and tired of you not doing work around here," Sable complained over Mabel's cries.

"Hey, you went ahead and took over the household before I had the chance!"

"Oh, sorry, did you want to take over everything I do. Then I could sit on the couch all day," Sable sneered.

"Hey!" Label shouted. Mabel's cries worsened, and Sable patted her head.

"Just take the fruit," Sable spoke calmly.

"Fine," Label replied, picking up the basket. As she headed toward the door, she glanced back over at Sable.

"And just so you know, you don't understand how much I do for this family." With those words, she slammed the door behind her and left.

Sable was bursting with anger, but she held Mabel close until her tears subsided. She promised the young girl that she could wear her dress from last year, and though Mabel agreed, she didn't seem much happier.

Sable put Mabel down for a nap, hoping it would calm her a bit, and then headed over to the couch, where Label's sketchbook lay. She glanced around. It was not her property, and Label rarely let anyone look at her sketchbook.

Sable's claws found the sketchbook, and she flipped it back. What she found shocked her. Page after page were unfinished sketches, crossed out designs, and sometimes just scribbles of ink across a page. Sable knew Label's work was better than this, and she realized that Label had not been being productive after all, that she had not managed to complete one sketch since their parents' death.

Sable sighed and closed it once more. She headed to her room and sat on her bed, holding her face in her hands. Why did this have to be so difficult for all of them?


	6. Chapter 6

Halloween came and went. Sable dressed Mabel up in her old costume from the year prior and led her around the town. Both came home with overflowing bags of candy and other goods, and while the two didn't eat the most healthy items during that week, their stomachs were full for once.

Label had remained inside at the time, trying her best to brainstorm. Every time she had an idea, she was whisked away to do some other task, and by the time she returned, her motivation was gone.

But now that Halloween was over and autumn was in full swing, the Harvest Festival was the next big event the town was focused on, especially Label and her siblings. A free meal for the entire town. It was certainly something worth dreaming over.

Label continued about her tasks, mumbling about and feeling more and more depressed as the days went on. That spark that had ignited her life was gone. She still longed to be a fashion designer in the city, but the idea just seemed so impossible now that she was uncertain if it would ever come true.

She had made frequent trips to Mayor Tortimer, but to no avail. He could offer no more help to them than he already had. This frustrated Label, especially since they were all working so hard. Once again he mentioned the idea of opening the shop, but neither Label nor Sable had glanced at a sewing machine since their parents' demise.

The machine sat in the corner, gathering dust with the rest of the sewing materials. It wasn't that they didn't like the idea of making their own clothing. Label just supposed that neither of them could bear using the same machine that their parents had both touched. They knew that they could not produce the same type of clothing in the same manner their parents had. The pressure seemed too overbearing.

The days seemed long as a build up to the festival. Mabel was overjoyed, and Sable tried to throw herself in the enjoyment too, but Label remained to the side. Her parents would not be bringing a dish to help celebrate this year. Their cooking skills were enough to feed them, but not exemplary. They would be offering nothing to the feast.

But soon the day came. Label's siblings were overjoyed for the event, happy to have a break in chores. All Label worried of was the upcoming winter when they would not be able to scavenge as often as they had done before.

As morning turned into afternoon, the three left their home to celebrate, which was odd, considering each time Label took a step outside, it was normally for work. Mabel trampled on the crunchy leaves in her purple coat. Both Sable and Label held her hand as she wandered toward the town center.

Already, the divine scent of food filled the air. Label's stomach grumbled. She'd eaten merely an apple today, wanting to be as hungry as she could for the feast. But also, it wasn't as if they had much food in the house anyway. They were still just barely getting by.

They left the orange trees and darkened grass behind to find tables set up with plates of food, all humbly prepared by Franklin, the turkey, himself. The others villagers were gathered around the table, all eagerly holding plates and silverware in their hands.

Label moved around them and grabbed a plate for herself. She reached to grab a plate for Mabel, but Sable had already done the task.

"I'll get your food for you," Sable promised her younger sister.

Label burned with a bit of jealousy and turned away, anxiously waiting in line as her sisters giggled behind her. She kept her gaze away from them. How could they be so joyous in a time like this? Was she the only one actually concerned for their well-being? Though Sable would argue she never showed it. But Label always went through with her chores, even if she was annoyed. And she'd spoken to Tortimer outside of their presence. Nothing was enough though in Sable's eyes.

Label began piling her plate with food. There was an array of salads and soups and sizzling fresh fish. She eagerly piled an assortment on her plate, grabbing a smaller plate for dessert. Label's mouth watered as she glanced down at her plate. She hadn't been served such delicious looking food in months.

Her sisters grabbed a spot at an open picnic table and sat down to feast. They were silent for a few moments, munching away on their foods.

"I wish we could eat like this all the time," Sable sighed.

Label shrugged. The Harvest Festival was always special in its on way. No one ever ate like this all the time. It wasn't just the poor struggling to get by.

Mabel took a bite of apple pie and hummed.

"Delicious!" she exclaimed, shoving another forkful into her mouth.

Label chuckled slightly and bit into her dessert. She took a bite of a banana tart and sighed. She remembered how her mother would make delicious desserts. They'd gather at the table late at night and dig in, nearly finishing a whole pie or cake. She longed for those days now.

A wind swept over the crowd, and Mabel shivered slightly.

"I bet it'll snow in a few weeks," Sable thought.

"Snow!" Mabel exclaimed.

Label grinned, but snow wasn't that exciting to her anymore. It was just another burden. She remembered shoveling out the pathway to the shop after heavy storms until her arms hurt while Mabel would sit on the side and build a snowman.

As they finished eating, Label glanced around at the other villagers. Some faces were familiar, others foreign. They had lost their connection to the neighbors around them since their parents' death, and while occasionally one would stop by with some food or supplies, they never stayed long.

It was not worth it to strike up conversation now while everyone was finishing eating. Label gathered the plates to be thrown away, and when she returned, Sable and Mabel were already leaving the town center, hand in hand.

Label trudged behind, keeping her distance but still staying in sight of them. She could hear their giggles ahead while she, meanwhile, stomped on nearby leaves, thinking of childhood and her more innocent days. She wondered what she was doing at this time last year. She would have never imagined the circumstances she was in now.

Label couldn't tell why, but she felt as if she wouldn't be here much longer. This town was becoming more and more unfamiliar each day, and she felt more and more distant. She didn't know where she would go. The thought of leaving terrified her. But she didn't know how much longer she could stay here.

As they headed back inside, each collapsed onto the couch. Both Sable and Mabel curled up next to each other and were napping in minutes. Label watched them enviously and grabbed her sketchpad, trying to finish another sketch. She had only been working an hour before she snapped her pencil in half and threw the sketch book down, too upset to think.


	7. Chapter 7

The winter months set in within the next few weeks, and the colorful trees and fallen leaves were replaced in a layer of thick, white snow. The temperature dropped, the sky got darker, and glimmering lights began to decorate the trees.

Sable recalled the first day it had snowed. She woke up cold and shivering to herself early one morning. The windows were clouded with frost, and the outside was eerily silent. Mabel awoke moments later and began shouting to her.

"SNOW! SNOW!" she screeched.

Label had rolled over and groaned while Mabel accompanied her sister to the window and they eagerly glanced outside at the beautiful blanket that had been left outside. The sun's rays were only beginning to rise, and the crystallized water reflected brilliant light.

They had spent the day building snowmen and drinking hot cocoa until exhaustion forced them to bed at an early time. The day had been so pleasant at the time, but now, Sable was already sick of the snow. It seemed everyone in her family was.

It was much harder to pick fruit and fish while trudging through piles of snow and feeling cold winds blow against you. None of their coats were that warm, but they didn't have the money to replace it, and so they had to endure.

One morning, Sable was grasping fruit with her bare hands from a tree, clumps of snow falling down beside her while Mabel sat in the snow. Her younger sister was much quieter today, though when Sable asked if something was wrong, Mabel only shook her head and kept her quiet.

Sable was concerned for her sister. She was usually enthusiastic to help, but today, she was only glancing down at the snow and sitting near the tree. Sable finished throwing more cherries into her basket when Mabel began to cry softly.

Sable froze and knelt down next to her sister.

"Mabel, what's wrong?" she asked, staring into her younger sister's eyes.

Tears began to pour down Mabel's cheeks. "M-my hands," she complained, shoving her small blue hands out toward her sister. "Th-they hurt!"

Sable's hands were already freezing, but when she grabbed onto her sister's, they were even more cold. Mabel began to cry harder.

"It hurts!" she screeched. "Th-they're so cold!"

Glancing down at Mabel's hands, Sable could tell they shouldn't have been exposed to the cold so long. She quickly grabbed her pale scarf from around her neck and wrapped it around Mabel's hands.

"Does that help?" Sable asked, beginning to get concerned.

Mabel shook her head. "I-I can't feel them."

Sable frowned. "How long have they been hurting?"

"They're always cold. They hurt a lot today," Mabel explained, sniffing her nose.

"Let's go back and get you by the fire," Sable suggested. She reached down and lifted Mabel up, then grabbed the bucket full of cherries.

Mabel still wept quietly on the walk home, and when Sable finally reached the house, she rushed up to the living room where she had started a fire earlier that morning. Label was sitting on the couch sipping a warm beverage.

As soon as they entered and Mabel's cries began to echo the room, Label glanced up in concern.

"What's wrong with her?" Label asked.

"Her hands hurt," Sable explained. She set Mabel down in front of the fire and untangled the scarf from her sister's small hands.

"Hold them up in front of the fire," Sable instructed. "I'll get you some hot cocoa, okay?"

Mabel nodded, her tears finally starting to cease. Meanwhile, Sable marched to the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove. Label moved from her spot on the couch and met Sable in the kitchen.

"What's wrong with her?" Label asked again quietly.

Sable shrugged. "I think the cold is getting to her. She complained of her hands hurting, and I guess it got to be too much."

"She's probably starting to get frostbite in those fingers. We need actual mittens," Label explained. "We're all freezing here."

"We don't have enough to afford mittens," Sable challenged.

"You're going to have to cut her hands off if you send her out in the cold like that," Label argued.

"It's not that bad. Look, she's already stopped crying," Sable whispered, glancing back to Mabel sitting in front of the fire. The bright flames jumped in front of her sister and quieted her cries.

Label kept quiet and returned to the couch, but Sable was still worried for her young sister. Mabel's hands were really bothering her, and even Sable could feel the temperature difference in their hands outside.

As Sable poured the hot water into a mug for her sister, she froze for a moment, an idea hitting her. She placed the kettle back on the stove and brought the hot chocolate back to Mabel.

"How are your hands feeling?" Sable asked, squeezing on one of them. The warmth was already starting to come back.

"Better," Mabel muttered quietly.

"You hold on to this mug for now. Remember to blow, okay?" Sable said, handing the cup toward her. Mabel eagerly reached for it and grinned as it warmed her claws.

"How about we get some nice, warm mittens for you," Sable suggested.

"How are you going to do that?" Label asked, paying attention once again.

"I'll make them," Sable said.

Label let out a laugh and set her drink down. "How? We've had some sewing lessons, but I've never seen you make mittens before."

"I can do it," Sable argued. "We still have a lot of materials, and I remember how to use the machine."

Label shrugged and leaned back on the couch again. Anger fumed through Sable. She'd make those mittens no matter how hard she had to try. Besides, it had been so long since she had touched the sewing machine. She hated not seeing it used.

Later that evening, when the others had gone to bed, Sable crept down to the shop downstairs and found the sewing machine in the corner, in the exact same place her mother had last used it. She turned the light on, watching as the shop became illuminated again. It brought back much nostalgia.

She turned to the machine and wiped away the layer of dust that had gathered. Sable grinned slightly and began going through old drawers for materials. She pulled out some pink fabric for Mabel's mittens, grabbed an old sewing instruction book, and began.

The night hours lingered on. It took many attempts, but Sable wanted to get it perfect. She cut the material many times and sewed many items, but the hours were drawing on, and she herself was falling asleep.

Finally, with the last stitch, she stopped the machine and sat up, ready to admire her work. And it was...something of speculation. The mittens looked like mittens, sort of. They were a bit disfigured, but they'd still work.

Tears began to creep up in Sable's eyes. She had worked so hard, and even then, her mittens were sub-par. She had an image of the perfect mittens for her sister. She imagined it would look like something her parents had made. But instead, it was just a roughly cut piece of fabric with stitches. Still, she couldn't let it get the best of her.

The next morning, when her sisters awoke, Sable proudly announced she had a surprise for everyone.

"What is it?" Label wondered.

"I worked nearly all night, but I have the perfect thing for Mabel," she said. She reached into her pocket and revealed the mittens.

"Now your claws won't be so cold anymore!" Sable explained, placing the mittens in Mabel's hands.

Mabel giggled.

"They're warm!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, perfect for you," Sable told her, glad to have received such a positive response.

"I mean, I guess they look like mittens," Label said, staring at the item that Mabel clutched onto. "You used the machine, then?"

"Yes. It felt so nice," Sable explained. She and her sister spoke a bit about sewing. Sable glanced past Mabel now and was enjoying a conversation with her sister, for once, when Label glanced forward and began laughing.

"What? What is it?" Sable asked, spinning around.

Mabel still sat, though the mittens Sable had given her were not on her hands, but her ears.

"Thanks, sissy!" Mabel explained.

Sable couldn't help but start laughing, and Mabel soon did too. All around, laughter filled the air, and for once, Sable felt content.


	8. Chapter 8

"I think you should get a job," Sable spoke from the stove.

Utensils clattered and the fire crackled. Label sat up. She had been staring outside the window at the falling slow, trying to find inspiration in the multitude of snowflakes that drifted down from the sky.

"Job?" she muttered.

"Yes," Sable replied, dropping a pot of soup on the table near her.

"Why? You don't have a job," Label challenged.

"I keep this household running."

The truth was, Label had been debating this idea for a while as well. They weren't making enough income as it was, and someone had to stay home and care for Mabel. But Label didn't know where to start. She hated doing anything but designing, and she knew there were no available fashion designer positions in the town, obviously.

Still, getting a bit more money every couple weeks appealed to her, and she slowly made calculations in her head.

"I don't know. Where do I even look for one?" Label complained. "Why don't you get a job?"

"Because you're older, and animals will hire you. Besides, I doubt you want to do most of the work I do."

Label looked away, knowing she was right.

"Is dinner ready?" Mabel called, staggering from the bedroom after a long nap.

"It's ready right now!" Sable exclaimed. She rushed over to Mabel and lifted her into her booster seat.

Label took a seat at the table and spooned soup into her bowl, thinking of all the food they could afford with some more bells. She was growing tired of the same old things and the same old routines.

"Just go to Town Hall tomorrow," Sable suggested.

Label let out a sigh and nodded. It was becoming boring, anyway. Perhaps this would be a positive change.

The next day was sunny, and the snow glittered as Label walked alongside her two sisters. Their boots crunched against the soft snow, and Mabel eagerly pointed to every single glowing pine tree.

Warm puffs of breath escaped their mouth as they spoke about their plans for the day, with Sable attempting some fishing and and perhaps some digging for fossils. Label nodded, though she was more nervous than ever to go to Town Hall.

She had still continued her conversations with Tortimer, though they had been less and less, and each time, he gave her no resolution. She had stormed out on a few occasions. Her cheeks turned red as she thought of it.

Label glanced forward to see where the path parted. She waved good-bye to her sisters, feeling a bit more positive for once, and approached Town Hall. The snow had been paved away in the center, and her feet slid over the icy cement.

She stepped inside, immediately filled with warmth after her walk in the cold. Pelly was at the front desk, moving around and organizing letters. At the sight of Label, her eyebrows raised.

"Oh, Label, you're back? Mayor Tortimer is busy right now-"

"I-I'm not exactly here to see him about that," Label explained, stepping closer to the wooden counter.

"What do you mean?" Pelly asked.

"I came to see if there were any jobs available around town. I don't know if you or Tortimer is the better animal to ask. My sisters and I have been getting along, but...we need more. I hate seeing soup go on our table every night," Label explained.

"I know you care very much for your sisters," Pelly responded, leaning forward to place some letters in slots. She stood back up and grinned. "I may have a position for you."

Label's eyes widened. "What? Really?"

"I could use an assistant in the post office, not permanently, but especially with this busy season..."

"Are you serious?" Label asked.

Pelly nodded. "Yes, I could get you started...today, actually. I could train you right now, if you'd like. There's not much to do, but it would keep you busy. You could work a few hours a day. Paychecks are at the end of two weeks."

"That'd be great! Thank you!" Label exclaimed, filled with joy.

Pelly grinned shyly. "I will have to ask Tortimer first."

"Oh...should I come back?"

"Why don't you wait out here, and I'll go speak to him?" Pelly suggested.

Label nodded and rested against the wall, glancing around. It was quieter than normal. She supposed many of the villagers were out enjoying the lovely winter day.

"I got approval," Pelly spoke, interrupting Label's thoughts. "Let me show you what you can do."

Label followed Pelly behind the desk and found a wall full of square boxes.

"I'm putting you in charge of sorting mail," she explained. "Pete comes by once a day to pick up and deliver, so you'll be sorting."

Label nodded. It seemed simply enough.

And perhaps that was the problem. It was too simple. Pelly spent two hours training on her on her job. It was mostly repetition and tasks that Label could easily understand the first time, but Pelly almost saw the job as a sacred position.

Label agreed to come in early the next day, for "mail was always coming and going," as Pelly would say, and even when she arrived home, she was exhausted just from listening the same phrases repeat from Pelly's mouth for hours on end.

"I suppose the job went well then?" Sable asked when Label stepped in. "Or else you were off messing around town."

"Yeah, I got a job working with Pelly at the post office, sorting letters and stuff," Label explained, collapsing on the couch. "She talked on about it to me for too long though."

"How much are you getting paid?" Sable asked.

"Five thousand bells a week," Label replied.

Sable let out a gasp, so loud that it startled Label.

"That'll be great! I won't have to stress as much about funds. Oh, that makes me feel better," Sable thought.

"Yeah, me too," Label replied quietly. Still, she wasn't sure how much she enjoyed the job, but Toy Day was coming up, and she was sure Mabel wanted presents. It did seem a fitting time to get a job.

Mabel sat on the floor and was drawing with a colorful assortment of crayons on the table in front of the fireplace. Label sat down next to her and ruffled the top of her head.

"What are you drawing?" she asked.

"Toy Day!" Mabel exclaimed. "Look, it's you, me, Sable, and Mommy and Daddy," she explained, pointing out each hedgehog to Label in the drawing.

This took Label in surprise, and she held back tears.

"I hope we can all be together at Toy Day," Mabel explained.

"Me too," Label whispered, but not loud enough so Mabel could hear. She let the girl continue her drawing, wiping away tears from her eyes. Winter seemed so much colder without the warmth their parents brought to the household now.


	9. Chapter 9

With Label getting a job, Sable finally felt more at ease for once. She sat on the couch one day staring out the frosty window, watching as a light snow drifted down. She held a mug of coffee close to her and watched as the steam rose.

For once, Sable felt content. That was until Mabel started crying about a broken toy, and Sable was reminded again of their circumstance-three orphans living in a small house struggling to make any kind of income.

Sable knelt down and comforted Mabel, who clutched onto a teddy bear with a ripped seam.

"His arm is broken!" she cried.

"It's fine," Sable assured her younger sister, but the toddler continued to scream.

Sable let out a sigh as Mabel's scream echoed the house.

"Fix it!" she begged.

Sable grabbed onto the teddy bear and glanced at the tear. It was minimal, and Sable was sure it wouldn't need that much fixing. She could have it sewed back up in an hour.

"I'm going to fix it, okay?" Sable asked. "I'm taking him to the doctor, but he'll be better."

Mabel nodded, her tears finally beginning to subside.

"You can come with me to the doctor, okay?" Sable told her younger sister. She grabbed onto Mabel's hand and led her downstairs to the shop. Sable flicked the lights on, glancing at the dusty furniture and supplies.

Her eyes lingered toward the sewing machine. She had thought about it often, ever since she had made Mabel those awful mittens. That experience had made her want to work on her skills even more. The machine was familiar to her once again, and some days, as she was busy caring for Mabel and the house, she thought it might be nice to make something.

Mabel wandered around the shop, glancing at old clothes and supplies and murmuring to herself while Sable fetched sewing supplies. She slowly began stitching the rip back together, working with careful precision.

Her mind wandered to when she practiced sewing with her parents. She tried her best to implement the lessons they had taught her, though the memories were a bit fuzzy.

Mabel still wandered around and then fixed her eyes on the stuffed animal.

"Is he better?" she asked.

"Almost," Sable told her. The rip began to close, and she broke off the thread. His arm was as good as new. In fact, Sable was proud of her work. It had turned out much better than those awful gloves.

She handed the bear to Mabel who let out a glee of delight.

"Yay, he's better!" she exclaimed, beginning to climb back up the stairs. Sable grinned, a warmth spreading throughout her.

There was something heartwarming about seeing how her work affected others. Even though Mabel never wore her mittens that much, seeing her place them on her ears had made Sable laugh, and that was worth something.

An idea began to form in Sable's mind, and she let out a sigh before climbing back up the stairs to the home.

When Label returned home from work, Sable was sitting on the couch, watching Mabel play.

"How was work?" she asked her older sister.

Label groaned. "Boring and awful," she complained.

"We're making more money."

"I know that."

"Label, listen," Sable said as her sister collapsed on the couch.

"What?"

"I-I'm thinking of opening the shop back up," Sable told her.

Label's eyes widened. "What?! Why?!"

"I-I like sewing. I had to fix Mabel's bear today, and it just reminded me-"

"Sable, how would you even do that? You fixed a seam, but you haven't made a whole outfit. And I guess those mittens were functional, but it was nothing like Mom and Dad had made," Label spoke.

The words stung, but Sable knew she was only being honest.

"I-I want to try. I can get better. I just need practice. We still have old items sitting around. We can sell those first and then I'll keep working, we can keep working, and-"

"We? I don't wan a part in the shop," Label told her. "Have you forgotten what I want?"

"Label, you know we can't afford to move to the city."

"I don't want to be a seamstress in this town," Label said. "I have bigger dreams than that. I don't want that to be my job-to care for the shop. I want adventure, experience. I don't want that to be sitting in a crammed corner late at night sewing items for a shop while we beg for food."

"But we can make more money," Sable explained.

"Yes, but we'll need to pay for more supplies, more fabric. The income will be little."

"But it'll grow."

"Sable, no.I don't want to work in the shop. You, nor I, let's admit it, have the skills to make some of the clothing Mom and Dad did. You can work on it, sure, but no. We're not opening the shop back up. Not right now."

Sable groaned. Normally, she was the boss of this house, but Label had clearly established her dominance this time. Sable supposed she couldn't complain too much. After all, Label was the one with the job and was bringing in extra bells.

"How will you become a fashion designer if you don't practice sewing?" Sable asked quietly.

"What?"

"I've seen your notebook, Label. All those sketches are half-finished or crossed-out. You're struggling too, but you don't even want to practice."

Label narrowed her eyes. "Don't you ever touch my sketchbook again or I swear..." She broke off, then let out a large sigh. "This discussion is pointless now. We're not opening the shop back up."

"But when? When will we?"

"When we can actually live decently!" Label shouted.

Mabel glanced up, distracted by the two. She covered her ears, the shouting bugging her.

"Sorry," Label muttered toward Mabel. She then grabbed her sketchbook and stalked to her room, shutting the door.

Sable let out a sigh. She desperately wanted to open the shop back up with all her might, but Label clearly had a different vision.

Either way, Sable would practice. That's what she promised herself. She'd keep sewing, keep working. She would prove to Label that she could open the shop, one way or another. She just didn't know how.


	10. Chapter 10

Label stood behind the wooden desk of the post office, rolling a pen back and forth on the desk. All mail had been sorted for the day, and outside, the sky was turning dark. She heaved a heavy sigh, ready for the day to end.

Her job at the post office, while giving her more bells, had been one of the poorest experiences of her life. She ran around all day, sorting mail, helping villagers with obscure problems, and wasting her day away.

When the job had died down like now, she would daydream about designing, daydream about living in the city. As soon as she grabbed her sketchbook though, the ideas would fade, and her pencil wouldn't even touch the sketch paper.

"Label, did you get everything done?" Pelly asked as she came out of Tortimer's office.

"Yes," Label replied without turning to face her.

"I guess you're free to go for the day, then. Phyllis is taking over soon."

"All right. Thanks," Label spoke, grabbing her things.

"Oh, actually, Label, I was wondering if you could take a different shift next time," Pelly suggested.

Label spun around. "What?"

"Phyllis needs some more help tomorrow night. Would you be willing to take the night shift for a few hours?" she wondered.

Label bit her lip, wanting to say no. The last thing she wanted to do was waste her night and be in the presence of the abrasive Phyllis. But she knew Sable would be upset. They needed the money.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Oh, great! I'll let her know!" Pelly exclaimed happily.

Label exited the warmth of town hall out into the snowy night. She tugged her sweater around her and mushed through the snow. As she came toward the house, she noticed the smoke spewing from the chimney and the lamps illuminating the upper portion of the building.

She reached into her pockets and retrieved her key, entering into the dark and quiet store that had once been lively with customers and her parents sewing. She thought back to what Sable had said about re-opening the shop.

Looking around the dark room, she wondered if perhaps Sable were right. Maybe it was time to reopen. But then she remembered that neither of them were as skilled as their parents and that it would only add more stress to their already hectic life.

She headed up the stairs, finding Sable and Mabel resting by the fire. A pot of soup was on the stove for Label to enjoy.

"Hey, how was work?" Sable asked.

Label shrugged. "It was fine," she replied as she grabbed a bowl and began spooning soup into it.

"We had a fun day!" Mabel explained.

"What did you guys do?" Label asked.

"Well, we did the normal chores, but Mabel wanted to build a snowman today, so we worked for an hour making a perfect one, right Mabel?" she asked.

Mabel giggled. "It looks good! You should see it, sissy."

"I think it's too dark and cold for that right now," Label told her. She felt slightly on edge, knowing that her siblings got to have some fun while she worked all day. It felt unfair. She couldn't even remember what fun felt like. Almost all the time she just felt numb to all emotion.

"I'm taking night shift tomorrow," Label explained as she spooned soup into her mouth.

"You are?" Sable wondered.

"Yeah, Pelly wanted me to take that shift instead. Which means I get to deal with Phyllis…"

"You'll be fine," Sable assured her. "I'll keep the lights on for you tomorrow then. You better bring an extra coat."

Label narrowed her eyes. When had her sister become her mother? She was older than Sable. If anything, she should be the one taking charge.

But she didn't want to. Label knew that. Still, the authoritative nature of her sister felt odd to her. She let out a grunt in response and put her plates away.

"I'm going to go to bed," Label said.

"Already? It's not even Mabel's bedtime yet," Sable spoke, surprised.

"I'm tired," Label replied.

She sunk into her bed and turned off the light, wrapping herself in blankets. Silent tears flowed down her face. She hated her job, she hated her situation, and she hated this house. Slowly, her breaths calmed as she dreamt of city lights.

The next day, Label headed to work after dinner, wearing two coats as Sable had told her too. The day had been calm, and she'd even joined Sable and Mabel on some of their chores. But she knew another shift was coming, and after that, the rest of her day was filled with dread.

She walked quickly to town hall as the cold air bit at her skin. As soon as she slipped inside, warmth filled her again, and she let out a sigh in relief. She stepped behind the counter, hanging her multiple coats on the wall.

"Are you Label?" came a snarky call.

Label spun around to face the pink pelican speaking to her. Label had only seen Phyllis off work sometimes, though she'd heard of the harsh bird and how her personality was almost opposite her kind sister's.

"Yes," Label choked out.

"You're a minute late. Get started on organizing these letters," Phyllis told her, dropping a stack of envelopes in front of her.

"Who sends this many letters late at night?" Label wondered.

"I don't know. Just do it," Phyllis replied.

Label sighed and began shuffling letters. The few villagers who wandered in left as quickly as possible as the pelican shouted at them. Label awkwardly watched as she went through with her work.

Her eyelids began to loosen, and she did her best to stay awake. Her mind often wandered as she worked, and at one point, Phyllis snapped at her for merely staring out the window.

It was nearing the end of the shift that Label actually began to think straight again after getting over her exhaustion. She glanced around, watching Phyllis grumble and work. She glanced outside, watching the snow float down in the dark. She glanced down at her claws, forever moving envelopes around.

She couldn't do it. She had hated working this job since she had begun it. It was a good way to make money, but it wasn't good for Label. And it wasn't even the job that upset her so much as the town.

She couldn't stand this town anymore. She couldn't stand the quiet, the few villagers, the lack of excitement. She couldn't keep being reminded of her parents' death and struggling family.

"Hey, what are you hesitating for?" Phyllis snapped, noticing that Label had stopped working.

Label took a deep breath and dropped the stack of envelopes she was holding. She stared at Phyllis directly in the eyes and said, "I quit."

She immediately moved to grab her coat as soon as Phyllis began screeching.

"What do you mean, you quit?! You have a job to do!"

Label wrapped her coats around her and headed to the door.

"Well, even if you weren't serious, you're fired! And don't expect my sister to let you back! I'll have a good talking with her, I'll—"

Phyllis' screeching was cut off as Label slammed the door behind her. She stood under the light of the building, watching lights twinkle on the trees. She took a deep breath and took a step forward. She had never felt so much freedom before.


	11. Chapter 11

Sable's heart lurched as the door swung open to the apartment. She and Mabel had been playing with building blocks by the fire until Label had dramatically entered. She threw her bag down on the table, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Why are you two still up?" Label asked.

"We waited for you, sissy!" Mabel exclaimed.

"We wanted to stay up and welcome you home," Sable explained. "But you're shift isn't over for fifteen more minutes? Why are you home early?"

Label began rummaging through her things, refusing to make eye contact with her sister.

"Label?"

"I quit," Label replied.

Sabel's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean you quit?"

"I can't take it anymore!" Label exclaimed. The room was deathly quiet.

"Let's get you to bed, Mabel," Sable whispered quietly, knowing that she and her sister would be having an argument.

As Sable escorted Mabel to her room, she heard Label rummaging through cupboards and banging around, wondering what on earth her sister was doing. Sable herself was confused, and angry as well. How could her sister just quit her job like that? The extra bells had been worth it, even for a short time.

"What's wrong with Label?" Mabel whispered as Sable draped the sheets over her small body.

"We're going to talk," Sable promised. "Go to sleep, okay?"

Mabel nodded, and Sable shut the door, knowing even then their voices would not be completely unheard.

Label had begun laying objects out on the table. Sable opened her mouth to question, but instead asked her first question again.

"Why did you quit?"

"I hate that job. I sit around all day, I watch the same villagers come in and out, and I couldn't stand Phyllis tonight," Label groaned, still continuing to move around.

"But we need those bells, Label! Please ask Pelly for your job back," Sable begged.

"I can't do it," Label replied simply.

"Oh, then just get a different job!"

Label ignored her and grabbed her sketchbook from the couch. She pulled out a large bag from one of the cupboards and began shoving the other objects she'd grabbed in it.

"Label, what are you doing? Come on! You need to talk to me," Sable urged.

"I can't take this anymore. I'm not happy here," Label announced.

"None of us are. Have any of us been really truly happy since Mom and Dad died?" Sable asked quietly. "But we just need to keep working through it and-"

"Even before Mom and Dad died I wasn't happy here," Label explained. "And I haven't felt a speck of joy since they passed away. This isn't the life for me. I-I'm losing my mind."

Sable's claws began to tremble now. Her sister was beginning to scare her.

"It'll be okay. We'll get through it," Sable promised.

"No, we won't!" Label shouted, her voice echoing throughout the house.

"Label, Mabel is-"

"Like she isn't listening in," Label muttered. "I hate everything about this town. I hate the boring villagers, I hate the lack of activity, I hate the jobs, and I hate this house. I can't stand another day in this town. I'm leaving."

Those two words were what Sable feared.

"What do you mean 'you're leaving?' You're sixteen. How are you going to get by on your own?"

"We've been doing it for months, haven't we?" Label spoke quietly. "I can't do it anymore, Sable. I've got to get away."

"Label, you can't," Sabel begged. "We're a family, Label."

"We haven't felt like one in months. We're always arguing, Mabel doesn't have a clue what's going on. She still thinks Mom and Dad are coming back. She's told me," Label explained.

"No, she-"

"She does. I haven't been able to sketch. I'm always fighting with you. And I'm always wishing I weren't here," Label explained. She lifted her bag over her shoulder. "I'm leaving."

"Label, no! Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted it! How could you do this? How am I going to take care of this house and Mabel and _live._ How could you be so selfish?!" Sable screeched.

"Me being selfish? I gave up all my dreams to help you. You seem to have it under control. Mabel likes you more than me. Open up the damn store again if you're so concerned," Label huffed.

"No!" Sable shrieked, grabbing Label's arm. Her voice choked, and it was only now she realized she was crying.

"We're a family, Label," she spoke quietly again.

There was no emotion on Label's side. She remained quiet until Sable released her grip.

"Where would you even go?" Sable whispered.

"The city."

"How? You don't even have enough bells to get a bus ticket," Sable muttered.

Label glanced down. "I've been saving."

"You've been stealing from us?!" Sable gasped.

"No! I've been saving money since I was a kid. It's only a couple dollars here and there," Label explained. She glanced out the window where the snow was beginning to fall. "I have a bus to catch."

"Label," Sable begged again. She was unsure why she couldn't stop her sister. Her feet were frozen, and she could barely move her throat.

"It's almost Toy Day," she spoke through tears.

"I'm sorry," Label replied.

If Sable possessed the courage or authority her mother did, she wouldn't have even let Label pack. She would whisk the bag from her, drag Label back inside, and talk sense into her. But Sable only watched in disbelief as Label slammed the door behind her.

She should've run after her sister. She should've gone out into the cold and stopped her. Sable didn't even have the courage to look out the window and watch her sister leave. Instead, she knelt on the floor and began to sob. How had she let the family fall apart so easily?


	12. Chapter 12

Snow fell down on the windshield of the bus as Label clutched her bag in her seat. Label glanced outside, watching snow drift in the headlights. Had she made the best decision?

It was too late to go back now. She'd been sitting on the bus for a few hours, awaiting her arrival into the city. Only a few others were on the bus, though most were asleep. Only the sound of tracks treading across the road and the driver's whistling brought sound to the atmosphere.

She quickly went through her wallet one last time, counting the number of bells she had. She had been saving up precisely for this moment. A few bells here and there. It was enough to afford her a bus ticket at least.

Her eyes became heavy, and suddenly, she felt she was back at home. Label's eyelids closed and when she next opened them, there was sunlight flooding through the windows of the bus.

The vehicle came to a jolt, and Label gasped, sitting upright. She turned her head, eyes widening as she saw the layout of the city in front of her. Buildings reached high into the air, light reflected off windows, and crowds filled the ground.

"City stop," grumbled the driver.

Label nervously grabbed her few belongings and inched off the bus. She shielded her eyes as she stepped into the sunlight then gasped in amazement. The first thing she noticed was how noisy it was. There was the sound of cars and horns, of chatter and laughter, of music and bells.

"Excuse me," came a slightly annoyed voice. Label moved out of the way as a dog moved past her. Label spun around, realizing she was blocking the pathway.

She quickly rushed to the side, clutching her bag tightly to her. She rested against the back of a bench, watching as crowds moved around her. Her eyes peered forward, watching the lights glisten on shop signs.

She took a deep breath. It was all she had dreamed of, and though there was no doubt she was intimidated, there was no going back now. She stepped into the crowd, walking up steps until she came into a large plaza. A fountain stood in the center, gurgling fresh water.

She watched children throw coins into the fountain and laugh. Label cautiously approached and glanced at the pouring water. It was so different than the river that flowed through town. This was a work of beauty, and she wondered who had crafted it.

Label felt her bag for the sketchbook in it. Would she get to design someday as well? This could be her chance.

All the excitement of the new place made her forget all that she had left behind. How were Sable and Mabel reacting right now? She couldn't help but feel some guilt, but she couldn't stand that life anymore. Sable could care for Mabel on her own just fine. She'd send bells if she made enough.

 _I need a place to stay,_ she thought. At that moment, her stomach led out a large growl. _And something to eat too._

She purchased an apple from a nearby vendor, though she was shocked over the change in price. A simple piece of fruit had never cost so much at home. It could simply be picked from the trees.

Nevertheless, she bit into her snack and glanced around, unsure where to look first. Her eyes fell on a small gray building with an illuminated home situated at the top. She tossed her apple core into a nearby trashcan and shrugged. It was worth a shot.

She left the hustle of the city behind and entered into a small, quiet office. There was only one other animal in there, another pig, who was sitting at one of the waiting chairs. Label gazed forward to where a blue-colored article with square-framed glasses sat at the desk. He appeared to be frantically typing at his computer, letting out a groan now and then.

Label moved her feet over the floor, her footsteps echoing in the small building. She approached the front desk, awaiting to get the otter's attention, but his eyes were glued to the computer screen. She let out a small cough. Nothing.

"Excuse me," she spoke at last.

"Yeah, just a second," the otter grumbled.

 _Hmph. City folk,_ she thought.

"I just wanted to ask a few questions..."

The otter spun around, facing Label. "Oh, about the room in the back? Fantastic decorating, huh? It's got that bang, huh?"

"Oh, I actually haven't seen it-"

"Oh, you must! It's the winner this month. Really got that feng shui, huh?"

"I'm not here about the room," Label interjected.

"Ah, are you not a member yet? Want your room checked out too? It's got to correspond to the theme, you see. Anyhow, I'm Lyle, and this is the Happy Room Academy, but I, uh, also dabble a bit in insurance, if you know what I mean," he said, reaching his hand forward.

Label awkwardly shook it. "I'm Label."

"Hm...odd name. So, I'll just get the paperwork and you can join-"

"I don't have a house!"

Lyle paused, setting the papers back down. "Ah, well that's a problem, you see. To be eligible-"

"Do you know of any houses available?"

Lyle only let out a laugh. "Houses in the city? Ha! You'd be best off with an apartment."

"Do you know of any for rent?" Label wondered.

"Look, Lyle's busy right now. If you don't want to join, I can't do anything for you," he grumbled again, sitting back down at his desk.

"Oh, please!" Label begged. "I just left home, and I want to make it big out here, okay?"

"Doesn't everyone? Lyle sure knows that," he muttered.

"Please!"

Lyle let out a sigh. "Look, I don't have any of that information here. I only look at the rooms, I don't sell them. But you remind me of another fella I know around here. Why don't you head to the Marquee and look for Dr. Shrunk? He might be able to help you out."

"Where is the Marquee?" Label questioned.

"Out and to the left. It's dazzled with lights. Can't miss it," Lyle continued, his eyes still looking at the computer screen.

"Oh, thank you!" Label exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah...Lyle doesn't get paid enough for this..."

Label spun around and headed outside the door. Perhaps adjusting to city life wouldn't be as hard as she expected.


	13. Chapter 13

"Sissy, where's Label?" Mabel asked in the morning over morning breakfast. A silence had settled over the small house, and it seemed as if the room was not as bright as it used to be.

Sable poured oatmeal into both of their bowls, knowing that if she made eye contact with her younger sister she'd begin to cry.

She had no knowledge of whether Label would come back or not. Perhaps her sister would cool off and come running back once she realized how stupid she was being. But then, perhaps not. Label had always dreamed of living in the city, and now she was one step closer in her career.

"Label went on a field trip. She'll be back," Sable promised.

Promises like these were hard to keep though. But how could Mabel lose her older sister right after her parents. Mabel barely understood her parents weren't coming back. She couldn't understand having half her family ripped away from her in a year.

"Where did she go?" Mabel asked curiously.

"Just a quick trip to the city," Sable replied.

"Oh," Mabel replied quietly, now turning her attention back to her oatmeal.

"Today we can go pick more fruit, and maybe we can even browse the windows to look at toys," Sable suggested, knowing Toy Day was approaching even closer.

"Yeah!" Mabel responded excitedly, throwing her tiny paws up into the air.

Later that day, Mabel ran around happily in the snow as Sable picked red apples from the snow-covered trees. Her sister's giggles were a comfort, but Sable knew by this point that Label wouldn't be coming back.

She knew her sister had struggled after their parents had died, and now that Label was finally in the city, Sable saw no chance of her coming back. Sable quietly threw apples down to her sister to throw in a basket, careful to hide her face so Mabel couldn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

It was the worst betrayal of all. Sable wasn't even as much sad anymore as angry. How could Label be so selfish, leaving them behind with basically nothing and taking off to the city?

 _Well, I hope she gets her dream, then,_ Sable thought angrily. _Otherwise, this will be a waste._

"Sell apples now?" Mabel asked, trying to lift up the heavy basket.

Sable laughed and nodded, grabbing the basket from her sister. Mabel hopped into each of the footprints Sable left behind in the snow as they headed to the store to sell.

As Sable made the exchange for bells, Mabel wandered around the store. Sable kept a close eye on her sister, watching her pause at a pink dress.

Sable shoved the few bells she had received in her pocket and walked over to her sister.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Pretty," Mabel said, pointing to the dress.

"Yes, but that's too big for you. You know that," Sable explained.

"For sissy," Mabel said instead.

Sable frowned.

"Maybe if we save up enough we can buy that for her another time," Sable assured her sister, patting her on the head.

"Would she like it?" Mabel asked.

Sable shrugged. "I don't know what she cares about anymore," she murmured.

As they headed back outside into the cold, Mabel peered into the window displays, excitedly pointing out the different assortment of toys.

"Maybe if you're really good, Jingle will bring you something," Sable told her sister.

"Yay!" Mabel exclaimed.

As soon as they got back home, Sable started up a fire while she tucked Mabel in for a nap. Her sister fell asleep quickly, probably dreaming that Label would be back when she awoke, though Sable severely doubted this. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain that Label wasn't coming back.

As soon as Mabel was asleep, Sable headed downstairs and turned on the lights to the shop. She grabbed her sewing supplies and began practicing, following patterns her parents had once used.

Her sewing had improved some, but not enough to open the shop. Not yet. For now, Sable just had to practice, and eventually, maybe she'd be as good as her parents.

Sable worked with the sewing machine, sewing patterns of yellow and white. Her goal was to make a T-shirt, though she could tell halfway through that it wouldn't turn out as she wanted.

Nearly an hour or so later, Sable held up the finished product and frowned. Sure, it was better than past attempts, but the seams were too noticeable, the sleeves were different lengths, and the collar was too thick.

She sighed, throwing it in a pile of other failed attempts. They weren't all "fails." All were somewhat wearable. But they weren't perfect in Sable's eyes. Her parents would have never approved of selling them in the shop.

Sable clutched a pen and drew mindlessly over a sheet of paper with it. She clicked it against the table and sighed. Now that Label was gone, the extra income would be gone too. Sable had to find work, and she had to find it fast.

She glanced down at the fabric on the table. She hesitated for a few moments, then reached for a new piece.

She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to keep on sewing and keep creating outfits. All she had to do was keep practicing, and eventually, she'd be as good as her parents one day.

Sable wanted to open the shop back up again, and this time, Label wasn't here to stop her. But it had to be soon. They could only rely on the extra money Label brought in for so long.

"Sometime in the New Year," Sable muttered. "Around spring. That'd be the goal."

Sable quickly jotted down the notes on a piece of paper and hung them from the wall, hoping to use her goal as inspiration. She grabbed another sewing pattern from the box and began practicing once again.


	14. Chapter 14

Label turned the corner, noticing a tall building with flashing red lights. It was just as Lyle had described it.

"The Marquee," she breathed. She took a deep breath, knowing this was her only chance so far. If this Dr. Shrunk could help her, perhaps her dreams of living in the city would come true.

Label stepped inside, leaving the cold winter air behind. A few animals were lined up in front of a ticket booth. She glanced around, seeing the two hallways presumably leading to the theater.

Not sure what to do, she got in line behind the others and waited impatiently until she got to the front.

"Hello there, which show would you like to see today?" the clerk asked from behind the booth window. The booth was so darkened that she could barely make out his face.

"Actually, I'm here to see Dr. Shrunk," Label replied.

"Dr. Shrunk will be doing two shows on anger and delight today. Which would you like to see?" the clerk wondered.

"I actually just wanted to speak with him one-on-one," Label explained. "You see, Lyle sent me over and-"

"What's hold up?" came whispers behind her.

"Can't she just make up her mind?"

"Dr. Shrunk sometimes sticks around after the show," the clerk informed her. "But there's no guarantee..."

"How much are the tickets?" Label asked.

"800 bells."

 _800 bells?!_ Label shrugged. It would just have to do. This was the only way she'd be able to meet Shrunk.

"Which emotion would you like to see?"

"Anger," she muttered.

"Here you are," the clerk replied. "Just down that hallway," he said, pointing to her right.

Label sighed, angry that she was now 800 bells short. She stepped inside the theater, noticing a few other animals inside. She took a seat right near the front, desperate to see Shrunk.

She sat in the dark, her legs bouncing as she anxiously awaited to see Dr. Shrunk. Suddenly, a voice echoed over the theater:

"Thank you for your patience everyone! The Marquee is pleased to welcome Dr. Shrunk, starring in the feature presentation Anger!"

A bell echoed throughout the room, and then suddenly, the lights began flashing and the curtain rose up to reveal Dr. Shrunk. He was an orange and pale pink axolotl with a bright yellow suit.

 _This is the person who's supposed to help me?_ Label wondered.

"Thank you! Dr. Shrunk is in the house!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, Label was becoming frustrated. Who was this clown standing in front of her and how was he supposed to help her in the city? She crossed her arms and impatiently waited as he went through his terrible joke.

"The doctor is OUT!" he exclaimed.

Label lifted her eyebrows, and then suddenly, the curtains closed, and the lights were back on. The others began leaving, but Label couldn't go yet. There was no guarantee Dr. Shrunk would be in the lobby, and he certainly hadn't stuck around to answer questions.

"Wait!" she called. She hoisted herself onto the stage and slipped under the curtains. Shrunk was in the corner, talking to a stage member, when his eyes widened at the sight of Label.

"Um...security?" he muttered.

"Wait!" Label called out. "Please don't make me go. I need to talk to you."

"Look, kid, I got a busy schedule and another show in an hour. I don't have time-"

"Lyle sent me!" Label blurted out. "He said you could help me!"

"Help you? With what?" Shrunk suddenly sighed and shook his head. "That old Lyle is still getting on my case, huh? Here, kid, come with me. We can talk for a second."

"Oh, thank you!" Label responded.

"Sure, sure. Up here," he said, leading her up a large staircase. The noise and chaos of the theater was left down below, and upstairs there was a quiet room filled with chairs, snacks, and mirrors.

An old yellow lizard with orange spots rested in a chair, his cane laying against it.

"Shrunk, who's this?" the old lizard croaked.

"Actually, I don't know. What's your name, kid?"

"Label," she replied.

"Label," he repeated, a bit more loudly. "Label, this is Dr. Frillard. He sometimes takes my place when I'm a bit too exhausted."

"But your show was less than five minutes," Label pointed out.

"Hey, how about I don't listen to you and send you back downstairs?" Shrunk suggested.

Label quickly shut her mouth and followed Shrunk to the couches where she took a seat across from both of them.

"So, why did Lyle send you? How could I help?" Shrunk wondered.

"I-I just moved here from my hometown...alone. I just came in today, actually. I'm looking for a place to stay," Label explained.

"Well, if you think we're taking you in here-"

"No, no! I was just wondering if you knew of any apartments or..."

"Say, Label, why did you come here? You're pretty young. You came here all alone to the city, left your family behind?" Shrunk inquired.

"I-I don't have much of a family anymore," Label admitted.

"So what drove you here."

Label took a deep breath, then stared Shrunk directly in the eyes.

"I want to be a fashion designer," she said.

Shrunk's eyes widened. "Very impressive. That most certainly is a city profession. Are you good?"

Label reached into her bag to pull out her notebook full of drawings. Both Shrunk and Frillard turned the pages, each nodding their heads and gasping at some of her drawings.

"Well." Shrunk handed the drawing pad back to her. "We're no fashion designers, so I can't help you there, but I do know of some cheap apartments for rent about a mile's walk from here."

"How much are they?" Label wondered.

"1000 bells per month."

Label frowned. "I-I don't have enough to afford that, especially since I'm not employed yet either."

"Those are the cheapest ones I know of."

Label began packing her things. "Thanks for the help. Maybe I was stupid coming here alone. I-I'll look somewhere else then."

"Wait," Frillard called.

Label spun around and watched as he pulled a sack of bells from his pocket. He tossed them on the table. Label listened to the sweet sound of metal ringing as the bag landed

"For you," he said.

"I-I can't accept this," she exclaimed.

"2000 bells, for you," he told her. "Pay it back when you can afford to."

"Frillard," Shrunk gasped.

"I have too much money to spend," Frillard said. "Now you make use of those bells, young lady, and come back here when you have the money. Tell 'em you want to see Frillard. No show will be needed," he said, quickly eyeing Shrunk.

"Oh, thank you!" Label exclaimed. "This should hold me over until I can land a job!"

She clutched the bag of money and threw it into her bag. She then glanced up at Shrunk, her eyes now more eager than before.

"Where are the apartments?"

"Down this street, on the left. They're the first apartments you'll see and the cheapest ones I know of. Tall, white buildings. Can't miss them," Shrunk assured her.

"Thank you very much, both of you!" Label exclaimed. She dipped her head and went down the steps, full of glee. Perhaps things would work out after all.


	15. Chapter 15

Sable awoke to Mabel pushing against her bed frantically.

"Wake up, sissy! It's Toy Day!" she exclaimed.

Sable groaned and rolled over, knowing she couldn't block out her sister's pleas for too long. She slowly sat up, looking down at her sister who was gazing at her. Mabel's claws were gripped onto the sheets, and her eyes were wide with excitement.

Sable glanced at the bed across from her, where Label used to sleep. Mabel was now sleeping there, though at times, Sable still glanced over there, thinking her older sister might be drawing in her bed. But Label had not returned, and Sable assumed that if she wasn't going to return for Toy Day, she wasn't going to return at all.

Mabel still didn't understand this though, and Sable supposed she'd have to fully explain it to Mabel that Label wouldn't be coming back. But for today, Sable decided she'd let her younger sister enjoy her day.

"You know Jingle doesn't come until tonight, right?" Sable reminded her sister.

"Toy Day!" was all Mabel exclaimed, happily walking out of the room. Sable followed behind, glancing out the window as she exited. The sky was clear and bright today. She smiled a bit, hoping she could see the stars tonight.

Before Mabel was even born, Sable and Label would sit up for a few hours with their parents at night by the fireplace, looking out the window at the stars while they waited for Jingle. Of course, her parents would shoo her off to bed before too long.

Sable shivered, letting the memory flow off her. She performed her normal tasks of the day, making breakfast for her and Mabel, getting her younger sister dressed, and planning what would be done for the day.

As Mabel ate, Sable took notes on a piece of paper. For days now she had been practicing sewing and trying to figure out when the shop would open. She ultimately decided to open in the new year, before February hopefully. Her sewing still needed some work, but she was improving, and she guessed she could at least sell a few leftover items from her parents if anything.

"Play in the snow?" Mabel asked.

Sable laughed and nodded. She had decided not to push herself to do too many chores today, especially since she knew Mabel wanted to enjoy the day. As soon as their winter coats were on, they headed outside.

Mabel threw snowballs at her older sister while Sable collected fruit, though eventually, Sable gave up on the chore altogether and engaged in a friendly snowball fight with her younger sister. Mabel giggled and ran around in the snow happily, and for once, life almost felt normal for Sable.

But then she remembered her parents and Label, and the world dimmed once again. She thought of Label and heat stirred up in her, but the sight of Mabel playing slowly calmed her down. If she ever did see Label again anytime soon though, Sable wasn't sure how she'd react.

The sound of footsteps caught Sable's attention, and she turned to see Joan, the turnip seller, slowly making her way toward them.

"Happy Toy Day," the old boar croaked as she lugged her bag of turnips on her shoulder.

Mabel immediately ran up to greet Joan, telling her all about the amazing Toy Day she was having and what presents she would receive. Joan laughed and nodded. She clearly was an amazing listener.

"Can I interest you in any turnips?" Joan wondered, glancing at Sable.

Sable's stomach growled at that point. They were running low on food, but Sable knew turnips were expensive as well. She pushed her hand in her pocket and grabbed some bells.

"I guess I can afford two white turnips," Sable said, handing over the money.

Joan reached into her bag, bringing forward two fresh turnips. Sable glanced down sadly at the turnips, knowing they would probably be used up quickly for some soup or a salad. Joan reached into her bag once more and handed Sable two more.

"Oh, I don't have enough-"

"Happy Toy Day," Joan told her, shoving the turnips into her hands. "Completely free."

"Oh, but..."

Joan's voice came to a whisper so that Mabel could not overhear.

"I understand times are tough right now. I recently heard that Label took off," she said.

"How did you-"

"Rumors spread fast in this small town. If anyone gets on a bus, everyone knows. Keep holding in there. Things are bound to get better. The New Year is soon," Joan promised.

"Thank you," Sable replied, shoving the turnips in her bag.

"Bye-bye!" Mabel called as the boar took off once again, disappearing into the mass of snow-covered trees.

"Let's go build a snowman," Sable suggested, leading her younger sister off elsewhere.

The day was spent half doing chores and half entertaining Mabel. As evening neared and the sky became dark, the stars rose, and a beautiful borealis stretched across the sky. Mabel excitedly looked out the window as Sable cooked dinner.

"Sissy, the sky!" Mabel breathed.

"I see it. It's very pretty," Sable told her. "Now, come eat your dinner."

"When will Jingle be here?" Mabel asked as she climbed into her seat.

"Later tonight. When you're fast asleep," she teased. "What did you ask Jingle for?"

"For Mommy and Daddy and Label to be here with us," Mabel replied.

Sable froze then cleared her throat. "We-we need to talk about that a little later, okay?"

"Okay. But do you think it will come true?"

"I think Jingle just brings presents, Mabel. Not something that big. But maybe," Sable replied, feeling more guilty by the minute.

Mabel's fun day quickly exhausted her, and Sable was tucking her into bed before eight o'clock. Once her sister was fast asleep, Sable rested on the couch. She didn't have much money to afford a gift for Mabel, but she'd made another pair of mittens (these much better than the first), and she hoped that would do for now.

Sable rested her head against the couch cushion, listening to the crackling of the fireplace until suddenly her eyes opened and it was early morning.

She groaned, not meaning to fall asleep on the couch, and was astounded to see a small line of presents by the chimney. Had Jingle come and she had not even awoken?

The door to her room opened and Mabel came out clutching a blanket close to her. Upon seeing the presents, her eyes widened.

"Jingle!" she exclaimed.

"That's right," Sable replied. "Jingle came."

Before breakfast could even be served, Mabel had to open all her presents. She gasped to find two toys, some sweets, and of course, the mittens Sable had made.

"I think those mittens will fit you better," Sable said.

Mabel laughed and put them on her claws. Sable felt her heart sink a little as she remembered laughing with Label as Mabel put them on her ears. Maybe they'd all matured a little.

There was only one present from Sable. She reluctantly grabbed it and opened it, finding a new sewing kit inside. Her heart filled with warmth. She had been using her parents' old one for too long. Perhaps this was a bright start to the shop's new opening.

The morning was quiet as snow began to fall. It was unlike any Toy Day that Sable had ever had, yet she couldn't have been more content.


	16. Chapter 16

Label woke up shivering. She wrapped her arms around her and opened her eyes, for a second thinking she'd see Sable's bed across from her and hear a crackling fireplace. But all she saw was dull painted walls, old furniture, and worn kitchenware.

Label sat up, her breath coming out in puffs.

 _You'd think they would at least have heaters in this place,_ she thought. She touched her feet to the cold floor and peered out the window. The sky was gray and faint snowflakes danced.

Label reached for her lamp and glanced forward. The money Dr. Frillard had lent her had helped with the rent for now, but she knew she needed a job quickly. She was already running low on groceries, and her money supply was getting lower and lower.

Label glanced absentmindedly at the calendar, realizing it was December 24.

 _Oh...Toy Day,_ she thought. She wondered what Sable and Mabel were doing at home to celebrate the day. She sighed and shook her head. It wasn't like she would know, and maybe she didn't want to know how they were getting on without her.

After drinking a cup of morning coffee, Label slipped on her coat and headed out of her apartment until she was out on the street, ready to take on the day.

The city was bustling as animals did some last minute shopping for the holidays. Label walked in between them, muttering "sorry" as she was pushed around in the crowd.

Her eyes were glued to glass windows as she desperately looked for "Help Wanted" signs. Her eyes lingered toward the Marquee but she knew she couldn't ask Dr. Shrunk for even more help, not after he and Dr. Frillard had basically paid for her apartment.

The entirety of the day was spent lingering from shop to shop, only being told there were enough workers due to the holiday season right now or simply being turned away because it was too busy.

Label eventually sighed and rested on some stairs. She pouted, watching as more animals scrambled around to shops. Her heart ached for the simple and quiet Toy Days at home.

 _But this is my home now,_ she reminded herself.

The snow had come to a halt, and a bit of sun was beginning to peek through. Label glanced down at her claws and back up again at the environment around her. Was she really going to be able to make it here?

A whistle caught her attention, and she glanced forward to see a skunk strutting her way. He looked even poorer than her in his beige, worn-out hat and ragged clothing. He glanced up at Label and paused at the staircase.

"Here for a shoeshine, miss?"

Label's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is this your spot? I can move."

"Don't worry about it," he replied, throwing a rag over his shoulder. "Now, how about getting them shoes shined up?" he said, glancing at Label's dirty brown shoes.

"Oh, I-I don't have enough money," Label replied.

The skunk raised an eyebrow. "Well, that makes two of us, huh? I'll shine 'em for free."

"You don't have to do that!" Label exclaimed.

He laughed. "I insist. My name's Kicks. You got a name?"

"Label," she replied as he knelt down and began wiping off her shoes with his rag.

"You seem awfully young to be out here on your own."

"I live here. I just moved away from home," Label explained. "I-I'm trying to find a job."

"Not too many of those around here," Kicks muttered. "What do you want to do here?"

"I-I want to be a fashion designer," Label said.

"Hm...interesting," Kicks said, now moving onto the other shoe. "Having a good Toy Day?"

"It seems no one really celebrates it here," Label muttered sadly.

"You're from the country. I can tell." Kicks finished up her shoes and glanced up at her, smiling.

"Yeah."

"That where your family is?"

Label nodded.

"Then why are you out here all alone?"

"I don't know," Label said quietly.

"Well, good luck to ya, Label. If I hear of any jobs available, I'll let ya know," Kicks said, tossing his rag over his shoulder and heading off.

Label felt tears gather in her eyes, wanting to be back home again. But she knew if she went back, she'd never be able to get to the city again. She would be responsible for the family again, and Sable would give her a good talking.

Label finally got up, guessing it would be useless to try to find a job in all the chaos of the holidays. She grudgingly made her way back to her apartment, her heart sinking as soon as she saw the pale building.

Her apartment was fine and livable, but she sure missed eating meals with Sable at home and having a nice warm bed. Her cramped house at home seemed like an improvement compared to her tiny apartment.

The sky was becoming dark now. A childish feeling in Label made her hope that Jingle would come. She knew she didn't deserve a present though, not after what she had done to her family.

She wished she had some lights or a tree, but there was only the lamp to light the room. After dinner, Label crawled into bed. Her eyes glanced out the window, where an aurora borealis had lit up the sky. She grinned to herself a little before turning off her light and letting her eyes close.

A shard of sunlight illuminated Label's face in the morning. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing around the room. Her eyes caught on a small gift wrapped in blue wrapping paper.

For a moment, she thought it might be a gift from Sable. But she knew this was impossible. She hadn't written, so there was no way they'd know her address.

Label crouched down and grabbed the gift. There was no note.

"Jingle," she breathed, grabbing the gift and beginning to tear it open.

Inside were a box of colored pencils, perfect for her sketching. Tears came to her eyes and she grinned. She grabbed her sketchbook and began tracing the different colors on the pad. She sat like that the rest of the day, leaned against the bed as she drew and drew. Slowly, just slowly, her motivation began to return.


	17. Chapter 17

As the New Year rang in, Sable diligently practiced her sewing, dedicating hours to it as Mabel took her daily naps. Her claws began to move in that same, familiar way again and all the sounds around her were replaced by a humming sewing machine.

It was piece after piece. None were perfect enough for Sable's liking, but she had definitely improved. Most of her clothing was wearable, and some of it might even be able to be sold.

She remembered the first perfect shirt she made. She had finished patching the blue cloth together and was amazed with the results. She held it up and grinned, almost sad that she would be planning to sell it, but even more amazed that she had finally done something right.

Sable's eyes always fell to a picture of her parents in the corner of the sewing machine. She'd glance at it every now and then, hoping that they would be proud of her.

In a way, Sable was almost relieved Label was gone. Nothing was stopping her from following her dream now of reopening the shop. Soon, they'd have a steady source of income again, and they'd be more involved in their community after shadowing themselves for so long.

Sometimes, Sable would give Mabel a few lessons. They were small and easy-to-understand and free of very sharp needles for fear Mabel would hurt herself. Nevertheless, Sable hoped she would be able to see Mabel play a big role in the shop one day.

Sable could sew and sew all day, but she had trouble communicating well with people. She'd always been shy, and Label had been there to help with that, but now Label was gone and Sable had to grow on her own.

 _I wonder what she's up to,_ Sable thought. Most of the time she told herself not to think of her older sister that had run off, but she couldn't help but wonder if Label made it okay, if she was thriving or living on the street, starving.

There had been a few times Sable considered maybe going after her, but bus tickets were expensive, especially to the city, and she didn't want to waste money only to find out Label was fine and didn't want to come home.

All these thoughts ran through Sable's head as she sewed one afternoon. The sun was shining today while snow still covered the ground. Sable couldn't wait until spring. She was sick of the cold air and found she could work better in a warmer climate.

 _Thud, thud,_ came a sound on the stairs.

Sable turned her head to see Mabel coming downstairs. The blue porcupine was clutching a blanket as she walked toward Sable.

"You should finish sleeping," Sable told her.

"I'm not tired," Mabel replied. "I want to see you work."

"Okay, but only for a little bit. Then, we need to go visit Mayor Tortimer," she explained. Mabel nodded and sat on a stool next to Sable.

"What are you making?" Mabel asked.

"A hat," Sable explained, sewing together pink threads. Mabel sat quietly and watched intently. She had not spoken of Label again, but Sable knew her younger sister was probably still unsure when Label would return.

 _Once the shop opens,_ Sable promised. _Then I'll tell her all or at least give her a better understanding of all of this._

"Done!" Sable explained at last, lifting up the beanie. She placed it on top of Mabel's small head and watched as her sister giggled. Mabel lifted it off her head and set it back down on the table.

"Go get your coat on and we'll go to Town Hall," Sable told her.

Mabel nodded and ran back up the stairs. Sable grabbed her coat from the chair and slipped it on her. Mabel was back down in no time with her coat, and the two locked up shop to head out to Town Hall.

"No more picking fruit?" Mabel asked as they walked along the path. Her eyes were glued to the white trees that glistened with red apples.

Sable laughed. "Not when we open the shop."

Mabel nodded and clutched her sister's hand as they walked toward the looming town hall. Sable stepped inside out of the cold. The room was quiet. Pelly stood at the front desk organizing letters while Mayor Tortimer seemed to be "working" with his eyes closed in the back.

Pelly's eyes widened at the sight of the sisters. "Oh, good afternoon. I must admit, I was hoping to see all three of you."

Sable gulped. "Label is gone."

Pelly sighed. "I know. I wish I had known she didn't like the job. I could've found her a new one."

"I think it was more than that," Sable told her.

"Well, what can I help you girls with?"

"I actually wanted to speak to Mayor Tortimer...if he doesn't mind us waking him up from his nap."

"His nap?" Pelly spun around and slammed her wing down on Tortimer's desk. "Sir! You're supposed to be working."

"Wha-uh-ah!" he said, glancing at Sable and Mabel. "The Able sisters! What can I do for you two?"

"Can we talk in your office?" Sable asked.

Tortimer shrugged and beckoned them through. Mabel still clutched tightly to her sister's hand as they entered his office. He shut the door and took a seat, glancing at both of them.

"Now, what can I do for you?" he asked. "I can't lend you money if that's-"

"We want to reopen the shop," Sable interrupted him.

Tortimer raised an eyebrow. "Open back up the shop, eh? Do you think you're prepared for that?"

Sable nodded. "We have some items that were never sold, and I've been improving my sewing skills. I think it'd be great to have the tailor shop open again."

Tortimer laughed. "I agree. Well, if you think you're up to it, I can't stop you. I can make an announcement to the town. We could even have our own opening ceremony."

Sable smiled. "That would be great. The more customers, the better. There's just one thing."

"What's that?" Tortimer asked.

"I want to change the name of the shop."

"To what?"

"The Able Sisters," she told him.

"Well, I can see about getting a new sign for you, then," Tortimer explained. "As my gift to you. When do you plan to open?"

"Soon. I can give you an exact date a little later," Sable promised.

Tortimer smiled and nodded. "Let me know when you're ready. I'm glad the shop will be reopening. I see a lot of potential in you, Sable."

She grinned and nodded, thrilled her dream was coming true.


	18. Chapter 18

As the New Year rolled around, Label's bell supply was getting smaller as were her meals. The money Dr. Frillard had lent her was running low, as were her own funds.

The city had been run with tourists over the holiday season, though now since were the holidays were over, Label hoped that the stores would need more help and return to normal.

The sky was bright today, and as Label's shoes thumped against the pavement, she prayed that she would have some success today. The last thing she wanted to do was return to Dr. Shrunk and beg for more money. She hadn't even returned to the Marquee since that first day.

She briefly thought of Sable, wondering how she was getting along in terms of bells. With winter, there were less fish and bugs to catch, and fruit could only bring in so much money.

Bus steam rolled into the street, and Label watched as the yellow bus pulled away. Nostalgia emerged from her, and she thought of her bus drive here. She wondered what it would be like to take the bus back. It might happen if she couldn't get a job somehow.

Animals were already walking around the town plaza with shopping bags in hand, though the morning was young. A light to a shop flicked on beside her.

Label turned, finding herself next to a barber shop. A white, blue, and red pole spun, capturing her attention. She noticed a pink poodle through the window cleaning up with a broom.

Label was hesitant to step inside, but it wouldn't hurt. Perhaps this was a sign.

As Label opened the door, a small golden bell rang. The poodle glanced up, grinning as Label walked in.

"Oh, hello. We've just opened," she said.

"Has this shop always been here?" Label wondered.

The poodle laughed. "No. I just opened in the new year, actually. You're not as blind as you thought."

"Oh, thank goodness," Label replied, wondering how the poodle could read her thoughts like that. Label had passed down the street nearly every day and had never noticed the quaint shop before.

"What can I do for you today? Just a cut? Or maybe a complete makeover!" the poodle exclaimed. She threw up her arms, holding a pair of silver scissors in one hand.

"I'm Label," she said.

"Harriet. Now what can I do for you?"

"Um...I don't need a cut."

"Makeover, then?"

"I was actually wondering if you needed help."

"Help?"

Label cleared her throat. "A-a job?"

"Oh, you're interested in working here? How skilled are you in haircuts?" Harriet wondered.

"Um...not that skilled. I can sew, and I want to be a fashion designer but..."

"Still having a tough time achieving that dream, huh?" Harriet wondered.

Label nodded.

"It was my dream to open a hairstyle salon _forever_! I understand where you're coming from, hon."

"Can you offer me a job though?" Label wondered. "I don't want to shed my life story on you, but I'm very low on funds for the moment and I don't know how much longer I can afford my apartment."

"You're very young to be living out here alone," Harriet noted. "Where's your family?"

"It's a long story," Label replied, avoiding eye contact with the black, beady eyes of the poodle in front of her.

"Well, you can't cut hair or do makeovers. I suppose I could have you clean up. It would save some time for me," Harriet muttered to herself.

"Would you?" Label gasped.

"How about 100 bells a day."

"J-just 100 bells?" Label wondered.

"I can't offer you that much. I haven't made much of a profit yet," Harriet said apologetically.

"I-I just don't know if I can live off that," Label muttered sadly. "I know it's not your fault, but-" She paused, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"Aw, don't cry, hon," Harriet begged. She paused for a moment and scratched the tuff of fur on her head.

"How about this?" she said.

"What?" Label wondered.

"Have you seen the fortune teller's shop nearby?" Harriet asked, her voice dropping down.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I feel like she's watching," Harriet whispered.

"Okay, yeah. What about it?"

"The fortune teller, Katrina, often asks for my help bringing in her odd magical objects or bringing in customers. Sometimes she wants me to sweep her place while she's gone. To tell you the truth, I'm terrified of her. But I know she gets business, so I don't want to cut off ties with her. Now...if you could do the chores for me..."

"Then, what?" Label wondered.

"I might be willing to pay 200 bells per day."

Label's eyes widened. "I accept!"

"Are you sure? She doesn't scare you?"

"For 1400 bells a week! Not at all!" Label exclaimed excitedly.

"Come here at 9:00 am each day," Harriet decided. "You might have to stay a little after closing too to help clean up."

"Understandable. Oh, thank you so much!" Label exclaimed, hugging the poodle tight. Harriet stiffened, a bit taken aback, but then she smiled.

"Anything to bring someone a little closer to their dream," Harriet promised.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Label confirmed.

Harriet nodded.

"Good-bye!" Label called as she stepped outside the stop. She stopped for a second and through her hands up in glee. She would be able to stay in the city after all!


	19. Chapter 19

Sable awoke excitedly to a new day. The sun was shining brightly, birds were chirping, and the ground was coated in a new, fresh layer of snow. Though exhausted from thoroughly cleaning the shop the night before, she felt wide awake this morning and was in a particularly good mood as she served fresh, steaming pancakes on Mabel's plate.

"Open today?" Mabel asked.

Sable nodded. "Yup! We're opening back up today!" she exclaimed.

Mabel grinned and bit into her pancake, humming a bit.

"But Mabel, even though we're reopening, I want you to know that we can't play as often as we used to," Sable said as she sat down, taking on a more serious tone.

"Can't play?"

"I have to work for a lot of the day now, and you need to stay in my sight. You can bring your toys downstairs or play and show all the customers the pretty things we have to sell," Sable told her excitedly.

"What about outside?" Mabel wondered.

"We can't play outside that much, but maybe in the late afternoon. I think you can play outside sometimes as long as you stay in front of the shop," Sable told her. She felt nervous leaving Mabel on her own, but she didn't want her cramped up inside the shop all day.

"Okay," Mabel said, seemingly content.

"Okay?"

Mabel nodded.

"Well, finish up those pancakes. We have a big day!" Sable exclaimed. Once Mabel's plate was clear and the dishes were washed, she led her younger sister downstairs and turned on the lights.

The dusty, dirty, cobweb-infested shop was now sparkling clean and adorned with new and old items of clothing to sell. It looked almost like the shop her parents had run, though Sable still knew her sewing could use some work. She'd been practicing though, and with each new piece she made, she improved just a little.

"You can sit right by me at the sewing machine," Sable said, picking up Mabel and setting her down on a little wooden stool. Mabel giggled and crossed her legs together, smiling.

A knock sounded at the door, and Sable glanced up, seeing Mayor Tortimer lingering at the entryway.

"Oh, he's here for the opening ceremony!" Sable squealed. She grabbed her sister's hand and led her to the door. Pelly wrapped a red ribbon around the door and Sable stood happily, watching as villagers from all over town formed a circle around the building.

"I must say, I'm very happy this shop is opening up again," said Tortimer to Sable. "My clothes have been getting a little worn, if I do say so myself." He chuckled lightly.

"Well, there will be plenty for you to look at," Sable assured him. "And I can assure everything is affordable too."

Tortimer smiled and patted her back. "Your parents would be proud," he said in more of a hush.

Tears gathered in Sable's eyes. She was about to thank him when Tortimer pounded his cane against cobblestone, creating a loud boom. The animals standing all around fell silent and gazed at their mayor.

"Thank you all for coming," he said. "Today, we celebrate the reopening of our beloved tailor shop, though with a new name. Sable has worked long and hard to recreate the success her parents had, and so, The Able Sisters is born!"

Cheers sounded from the crowd.

"And now Sable will speak," Tortimer said.

Sable stiffened, not expecting to be giving a speech. But all eyes were gazing at her, and she supposed it would be rude not to speak.

"Oh, um, thank you, Mayor," she said. She gulped and faced the crowd. She had never been one to speak to crowds, but she clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

"I just want to say that my parents worked hard for the success of this shop, and I look forward to carrying on their legacy. I wanted this shop to be something everyone could come to. You'll find that everything is very affordable, and every piece is stitched with love. You'll find some new and old clothing inside. Everyone should be able to find something they enjoy," Sable explained to the crowd.

"Thank you again for coming," she finished.

"And now Pelly will do the honors," Tortimer said, gesturing to the door.

With a large pair of silver scissors the ribbon was cut, and Sable opened the door. Mabel clutched her hand as they stepped inside. Her younger sister sat on the wooden stool near the sewing machine while Sable lingered in the center of the shop, watching as an influx of animals entered.

Her first purchase was made in no less than five minutes, and the purchases only continued from there. The shop was completely sold out within two hours, and Sable had to rush to the back to find some more clothing to put out. She hadn't been expecting to sell so quickly or for the shop to gain so much success.

The Able Sisters had to be closed early afternoon as Sable only had unfinished pieces remaining. A huge bag of bells sat on a desk, and Sable waved good-bye to the last customers as they departed. She paused for a moment and collapsed against her chair, exhausted. It must have been a while since affordable, new clothing had been accessible to the villagers.

Tortimer stood up from a chair he was sitting on. He had decided to spend the day with her and assist her as best as he could.

"What a day," Sable sighed. She glanced at the bag of bells though and grinned. She had never gotten so much money in one day. She would easily be able to buy some more sewing supplies and cloths as well as some goods for the house.

"I would say it was a success," Tortimer said.

"I can't handle a crowd like this every day though," Sable admitted. "I'm going to have to sew late tonight."

Tortimer chuckled and rested his stumpy arm on her shoulder. "You are the business owner, you know. You can close tomorrow if you wish."

"Oh, no! I want to deny anyone more clothes," Sable explained.

"I'm sure the crowds will die down within the week. Everyone is just excited to have some new clothing, that's all. It's good to know you're guaranteed success though. I don't have to keep worrying about you, or your sister," Tortimer said.

"My sister?" Sable questioned.

"Oh, she came to me many times asking for more help and money for you two," Tortimer explained. "Such a shame she couldn't be here today to see the shop open."

"Yes, such a shame," Sable muttered.

"Well, I'm off now! Good luck tomorrow!"

"Thank you!" Sable called as he went off.

She led Mabel upstairs and put her down for a nap, but Tortimer's comment still rang through her ears. What did he mean that Label kept coming and asking for money?

 _She probably just wanted city funds,_ Sable thought to herself.

Even if Label had cared, it didn't matter now. Her sister had deliberately left them, and even if she had showed some affection back then, she certainly didn't care enough to come back now.

 _I hope she comes back one day,_ Sable thought. _Then she can see the success of the shop and realize she was the one who was wrong._


	20. Chapter 20

"Good morning, Label," Harriet said as Label entered the shop on a new day. Label grinned at her boss and glanced around.

"Doesn't even look like there's that much cleaning for me to do today," Label observed. The floors appeared to be flawless. They glittered like they had just been washed.

"I got a bit ahead of myself," Harriet admitted, shoving a broom back into the corner. "We were so busy yesterday we didn't have time to clean. I couldn't stand to wait for you to show up."

"It's fine. It's my job, you know," Label told her. She had been much more at ease now that she finally had a decent job. She was slowly building the money back up for Dr. Frillard and was managing to pay her rent just fine.

"I know. Unfortunately, I don't know how busy it will be today. The weekend is over now," Harriet admitted. She organized her supplies on a metal tray and glanced out the window longingly.

"How is business doing?" Label wondered.

"It's good. It's not as exciting as when I first opened, but it's enough. I just wish more would come during the weekday. I dread my weekend shifts because they're so crowded, but it wouldn't be bad to have a bit more profit during the week as well," Harriet admitted.

"I'm sure you'll get more business. I've seen you do haircuts and makeovers, Harriet. You're amazing!" Label exclaimed.

Harriet grinned. "Thank you, Label. This is still all very new to me. I'm just shocked my dream came true. All those beauty salon school days paid off, huh?"

Label grinned, hoping she could have as much success as Harriet one day.

"Well, what should I do since you already cleaned up?" Label wondered.

"The shop still doesn't open for an hour. Um...actually, I have a favor to ask you. Remember our agreement?"

Label nodded.

"Katrina wanted some help organizing her tools or, I don't know what they're called. She asked yesterday, but we were so busy and you know..."

"I know," Label replied. She had to admit that hearing stories of Katrina kind of terrified Label too, but it was what she had agreed to, and she needed the extra 100 bells that Harriet had offered.

"I'll head over," Label decided.

"Oh, thank you! I hate it when she comes by," Harriet exclaimed, shuddering.

Label stepped outside the shop and walked to the end of the pathway where a small, brown building with ivy leaves decorating it stood. Label took a deep breath and walked up the cobblestone path up to it. She paused for a moment, the knocked at the door.

There was some clutter and hiss before the door opened. A dark panther stood in front of her, adorned with many jewels. Immediately, Label felt intimidated.

"Who disturbs me?!" she yowled.

"Um...I'm Label. I work for Harriet. You asked for her help yesterday, but we were busy, so I came by-"

"Yes, yes. The stars have already told me all," Katrina told her. "Step inside, young one, and discover your fate."

"I hope you know I'm just here to help, not find out my fortune," Label told her as she stepped inside.

"One always gets something unexpected in the house of Katrina!" she exclaimed.

Label rolled her eyes. The panther had changed from intimidating to amusing. Label was surprised how her fortune shop got any success at all.

Inside, the room was incredibly dark with only a few candles lighting the area. It reeked of incense and dust, and Label gagged a little on the scent.

"I have some vases that need to be unboxed," Katrina explained, pointing to a pile of unopened brown boxes.

"Okay, okay," Label said. She knelt on the floor and began to rip the boxes apart.

"Careful with those! They help me tell fortune!" Katrina shouted as she sat at her desk.

"You don't seem very occupied with anything. Don't you want to help?" Label wondered.

The panther leaned against her chair and closed her eyes in satisfaction. "I am listening to all the sounds of the universe. I have no time to perform such worldly tasks."

Label turned back to her work and began to carefully pull each vase from its box. Pale and dark designs covered them. They ranged from small to big, and Label set them carefully in a pile near Katrina's desk. She wasn't sure how these really told fortunes. In fact, they looked like they could be bought from any general store. But who was she to witness the "all-seeing Katrina"?

 _I can't believe Harriet is scared of her,_ Label thought.

"Have you finished that task?" Katrina muttered, one eye peeking open.

"Yes. Is that all?"

Katrina thought for a moment, then nodded. Label moved toward the door, but the she-cat called out once again.

"Wait, young one! Don't you want to hear your fortune?!"

"Um, I don't have any bells on me," Label lied.

"All free of charge, my daughter!" Katrina exclaimed. "Now, come closer, lost sign of Leo."

"Um, I'm actually a Scorpio," Label interjected.

"Ah, yes. The stars just focused a bit more. Simple mistake. Lost sign of Scorpio, I, Katrina, will now foresee your future!" she cackled. "I shall now bring your star matrix into view"

"Keeee heh hah mo-atata

"Kee ha ha mo-atatata

"Eee na ro sheho-to bati

"YEEEEEeeeee!"

Label's head suddenly become fuzzy, and she felt a searing pain. _What did she just do,_ she thought to herself. The fuzziness suddenly cleared though, and Katrina began to speak.

"Aha...yes...I am starting to see it now. The universe glows golden in the brilliance of Mercury, reborn as the first-magnitude star! Mercury's splendor is spread as wealth and freedom. Yesss, wealth free for the taking. The freedom, however, depends solely on the heart of the soul who accepts it. In essence, the stars surrounding you give off an aura of gold. This aura glows fiercely around you. I foresee an improvement in your monetary fortunes.

"However, that doesn't mean you should go about doing whatever you want with your money. Throwing around your money without care seems foolish, but the choice is yours, of course! That is all!"

"Um..thanks," Label said.

"Remember child, that bad times are times...that are just bad."

"Thank you. That was...thought-provoking," Label replied before heading out the door. She winced at the blinding sun after being trapped inside Katrina's dark hellhole for so long. She made her way back to Shampoodle, happy to smell the scent of strawberry shampoo and see bright colors.

"How was Katrina?" Harriet asked. "She always gives me the creeps."

"I think you're holding her up a little too high," Label replied before grabbing a broom and beginning to clean up fallen bits of hair and fur on the ground.


	21. Chapter 21

"Thank you! Come again!" Sable called as the last villagers exited the shop. The sky was dark out already, and stars were twinkling in the sky.

It had been about a month now since Sable had opened the shop up again. As Tortimer had warned her, the first week was a nightmare. The shop was always sold out, she was constantly sewing, and she even considered quitting. But soon the crowds had died down, and they were getting decent business.

With February nearly upon them, Sable knew springtime would soon be on the way. She couldn't wait to ditch her warm coat and not worry about Mabel's fingers freezing up. She was looking forward to a time of rebirth and growth.

With another month gone, it meant another month that Label did not return. There would always be a part of Sable wishing that her sister would reappear, but the rational part of her knew that Label would not be returning anytime soon.

So, for the time being, she worked the shop and Mabel played and they ate well. They were making significantly more bells than before, and for once, Sable didn't feel like they were going to go broke.

As soon as Sable locked the door to the shop, she grabbed her broom and began to sweep while Mabel hid in the clothes displays and giggled.

"Hey, it's past your bedtime," Sable told Mabel.

Mabel giggled once more and climbed onto the stool, watching as Sable swept the floor. There wouldn't be too much sewing left to do. They hadn't come close to going out of stock today, which relieved Sable. She wasn't sure how much longer her aching hands could take it.

Once the shop was cleaned and items were restocked, Sable brought her younger sister upstairs and got her ready for bed. Sable grinned as Mabel ran around in her yellow pajamas, going on and on about the day.

"You're really not tired?" Sable asked her sister.

Mabel shook her head.

"But it's bedtime," Sable pointed out.

The small hedgehog didn't appear to hear. She did another lap before collapsing in front of the fireplace, giggling to herself.

"Come here," Sable called. Her sister crawled up onto the couch with her and snuggled against her. Sable grinned and held her closer, feeling Mabel's warm breath against her.

"I miss Label," Mabel muttered quietly.

Sable froze. She had not brought up her sister within the month, but she knew Mabel was smart and must have caught on at some point. Sable glanced down at her sister.

"You do?"

Mabel nodded. "When is she coming back?"

Sable sighed. She had not wanted to have a talk like this for Mabel for a while, but she knew it was much overdue.

 _I'll focus on Label first,_ she told herself.

"I-I don't think she's coming back," Sable told her.

Mabel's eyes widened. "What?! Where's sissy?!"

Sable patted Mabel on the back some. "Sissy is out in the world doing amazing things," Sable told Mabel. "She's going to the city to follow her dream. Aren't you happy for her?"

"Yes, but...I'll miss her," Mabel whimpered.

"I'm sure she misses you just as much," Sable told her.

"Why can't she come here?"

"Because Label can only really start her career in the city. There are no fashion designers in this old town," Sable said, tickling her. Mabel giggled, then looked sad again.

"Will she visit?"

"I don't know," Sable replied. "She might be very busy."

"We can write!" Mabel exclaimed.

"Well, I don't know about that...Listen, you keep on thinking of Label and wishing her good luck," Sable told her. "And maybe when she gets that dream she can come back here and share it with us."

"Really?" Mabel gasped.

"Really," Sable replied.

"If Label comes back, will Mommy and Daddy come back?" Mabel asked.

"Mabel...I-I thought we talked about this," Sable said softly. "Mommy and Daddy aren't coming back."

"I like to wish that they will," Mabel whispered.

Sable sighed. "Well, let's wish on Label for now."

Mabel nodded her head and let out a big yawn. Sable escorted her younger sister to her room and tucked her in. She grinned and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Good night," she told Mabel.

"Night," Mabel mumbled before turning over and closing her eyes. Sable shut the door and took a seat on the couch.

She warmed her hands by the fire and fixed herself a nice cup of tea. The world seemed especially quiet tonight. She wondered what it was like in the city, if the hustle and bustle of cars kept Label up at night.

It was then that Sable heard the tiniest of noises coming from the bedroom. She hesitantly set her cup down on the table and tiptoed to where Mabel was sleeping. She pressed an ear against the door and heard the faintest sobs.

Immediately, her heart broke. She placed her claws around the handle, but hesitated. Mabel would never understand if Sable was constantly comforting her and spewing false hope like she had with Label.

Tears came to Sable's eyes too, but she had to remain strong for Mabel. She sat against the door until she heard the cries go away. Sable breathed in relief, happy to know her sister was fast asleep.

Sable washed her cup of tea and peered out the window. Snow was beginning to softly fall. Sable sighed and shook her head. It seemed as if winter would never end.

Sable let out a yawn and put out the fire. The warmth filling the room soon dissolved. Sable quietly entered the bedroom, glad to see Mabel fast asleep in her bed. She crawled into her own bed now and listened to the quiet breaths of her sister before falling asleep, dreaming perhaps that Label would return too.


	22. Chapter 22

The blaring of an alarm woke Label in the morning. She opened her eyes, letting out a moan. Loud music and flashing lights had kept her up for most of the night, and now her eyes could barely stay open.

She shut off her alarm clock and sat up, glancing around her darkened apartment. Her head hurt and her body was fatigued. She supposed this was life in the city though. A neighbor would never disturb her slumber back home, but here, everyone in the city was awake.

She got ready for the day, washing her face and putting on a clean outfit. She glanced at the clothes hanging in her closet. Nearly all had been hand-stitched by her parents. There was something she adored about them, but also something she hated. She didn't look like a city gal, especially in homemade clothing. Even the nicer clothes she had brought to the city didn't live up to what other animals wore.

Label shrugged, knowing she should just be thankful she hadn't been kicked out of her apartment for not paying rent. Harriet was paying well, and Label was getting by just fine. There were no large purchases on her part, but there was enough for groceries and essentials, and even something fun now and again.

A gentle fog had set in the morning air. Label was also surprised how quiet the city was in the morning. There was something peaceful about it that reminded Label of home.

A cold breeze swept through the air, and Label clutched her arms. Even though spring would soon be on its way, snow fell every now and again, and the air was still cold.

She approached Shampoodle, seeing the lights already on. Harriet was already inside setting up shop.

"Good morning," she greeted Label.

"Morning," Label replied, shutting the door behind her.

"Why didn't you bring a coat? You must be freezing!" Harriet exclaimed.

"Didn't think about it," Label lied. Of course she had a coat, but it was worn and did not live up to the standards of the city.

"Oh, well. Can you clean off the scissors?" Harriet asked.

Label nodded and set to work, watching as the sky became brighter and the first buses started arriving.

"How has Katrina been treating you lately?" Harriet asked as she wiped off salon seats.

Label chuckled. "I don't get why you're so terrified of her. Shouldn't it be the opposite?"

"Don't reinforce stereotypes!" Harriet exclaimed. "She works with dark magic."

Label rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. She didn't even get my sign correct."

"I don't trust her," was all Harriet muttered. The pink poodle glanced up, already seeing some customers waiting outside the door.

"Label," she said.

Label glanced at the clock then unlocked the door, allowing customers in. Label provided them with magazines as they waited for a turn from Harriet. As Label wiped down counters, she glanced at Harriet. The poodle was intently focused on the task at hand and worked intricately, creating new hairstyles.

Label wished she could be that passionate about her job someday. She grinned as she thought about showing her designs and creations to admiring customers. Someday...

Label continued to work, thinking about the money she was saving to pay back Dr. Frillard. It was coming along nicely, and she couldn't wait to see the look on his and Dr. Shrunk's face when she told them of how she was getting along. Then again, she hadn't gotten her dream job, but it was enough to keep her in the city for now.

"Label, pay attention!" Harriet nagged as more customers waited to speak to her.

The day went by quickly due to the high number of customers, but soon enough, the shop was ready to close, and they began cleaning up. Label swept the floors, watching the sun set outside.

"You seem distracted today," Harriet noted.

"Just thinking," Label told her.

"About what?"

"Just...a lot of things," Label muttered.

"And..."

"Why do I need to tell you what I'm thinking about?" Label asked, annoyance rising in her voice.

"I'm just curious, that's all. I'm also paying you..."

"I was just thinking about if I'm cut out for city life or not."

"Why do you think you aren't?"

"I feel like I am in my heart," Label explained, clutching the broom closer to her. "But...I still feel like a part of me is stuck home in the country. All my clothes are subpar and I've found no opportunities to be a designer."

"Hmm..."

"You...don't happen to know any other fashion designers, do you?" Label asked halfheartedly.

Harriet shrugged. "Afraid not."

"How did you achieve your dream, then?"

"Hard work. Honestly, Label, how can you expect to branch out so quickly. I just opened my shop. It took ten years. How old are you, twelve?"

"Sixteen," Label replied through gritted teeth. Did she really look that young?

"You've got time. It's going to take a lot more experience," Harriet told her.

"Still...I just feel like if I don't get a job soon, it won't have been worth it."

"Worth what?" Harriet wondered.

"Coming to the city," Label replied. "I-I gave up a lot to live here, you know. I just want to be a part of it."

Harriet grinned.

"What?" Label asked.

Harriet approached and smiled even more.

"Seriously, Harriet, what are you doing? You're creeping me out," Label said.

"I can't tell you when your dream or come true or list any prestigious fashion designers, but I do know one thing that could cheer you up."

"And?"

"A makeover!" Harriet exclaimed.

Label blushed. "What? No, I don't need a-"

"Nonsense!" Harriet exclaimed. She grabbed Label's wrist and sat her down on a seat.

"I don't know if you noticed, but I don't have hair-"

"I'm not cutting anything," Harriet told her. She grabbed a bunch of items and set them down. "We're talking _make-up_!" she exclaimed, showing her different palettes.

"Honestly, Harriet, I don't think-"

"You want to look like a city gal, right? Then let me give you a makeover, on the house!"

Label sighed. "Fine."

"Oh, you'll look even more pretty when I'm done with you!" Harriet exclaimed, beginning to touch up her face. Label shut her eyes and watched as Harriet moved around her, applying different powders to her face. It must have been a half hour before Harriet pulled away and squealed.

"Perfect!" she exclaimed. She handed Label a mirror. Label glanced down, nearly jumping at the reflection. She had never worn make-up before, had never even really considered herself that beautiful, but whatever Harriet had done had completely altered her vision of herself.

She wore winged eyeliner and her eyelids were a deep blue, bringing out her eyes even more. Label gulped and set the mirror down on her lap.

"Do you like it?" Harriet asked excitedly.

Label nodded, still stunned.

"Do you think you look like a city girl now?" Harriet wondered.

Label glanced at her reflection again, then nodded. "Can you show me how to do this?"

"Sure," Harriet replied. "You're going to have to buy the make-up on your own though."

Label laughed. "Agreed."


	23. Chapter 23

Sable unlocked the doors to the shop and waited anxiously for customers to arrive. They were still receiving a steady flow, but it was nowhere as insane as it had been when they first opened.

Mabel was walking around and glancing at all the clothes that hung on display. She seemed content just looking at the multitude of colors.

Sable grinned, watching her younger sister move about. She had recovered from their little talk, but Sable sometimes heard her whispering and asking for Label to come back. Sable's heart ached for her, but she didn't want to give Mabel any false hope, so she didn't bring up her sister much.

The door creaked open, and Sable glanced up to see none other than Tortimer.

"Welcome," she said.

The old turtle stepped inside and grinned, pushing his cane against the ground.

"Can I help you find anything?" Sable wondered.

"I wanted a nice hat, but I suppose I wanted to talk to you, too," Tortimer said.

"About what?"

"How is the business doing? Doing well, I hope?"

Sable nodded her head. "Very well, actually. We're making a steady income. I have enough for supplies. Sometimes I do have to sew a bit more than I hoped, but we're getting there."

"I'm glad," Tortimer replied. He walked around Mabel, who was still wandering around and glanced at their small collection of accessories.

"Hmm..." he muttered before deciding on a straw hat.

"This will be perfect for when I retire," he chuckled to himself.

"Are you retiring soon?" Sable gasped.

Tortimer chuckled. "Not for some time. I may have a cane, but I still have many more years of this job. I would like to live on a nice tropical island when I'm done running this town though."

Sable rang up his item and laughed. "That sounds nice."

"I'll invite you too," Tortimer promised.

"Oh, please. I won't retire for a _long_ time," Sable told him.

"Ah, well, you've still got a lot of youth in you. Won't need a cane for a while," Tortimer said.

"Here you are," Sable said, handing him the hat.

"Have you heard from Label?" Tortimer whispered.

Sable shook her head, lowering her voice so that Mabel couldn't hear. "Not a thing. I assume she's somewhere in the city. I-I wanted to go after her, but I didn't have enough money for a ticket. Even now though, I don't think I want to go after her."

"Hm...maybe it's best," Tortimer said.

"I think she intends to stay in the city from now on," Sable explained.

"Ah, the city. Speeding cars, bright lights, loud music...I always hated it. That's why I want to live on an island instead."

"Did you live in the city?"

"No, no! Heh heh horf," Tortimer chuckled. "I just took a few unfortunate trips there. But if it suits Label, I suppose that's the life she's chosen then."

"I guess so. I at least hope she found what she wanted," muttered Sable.

Tortimer patted her on the back. "I'm sure she has. Well, thank you for the new hat! Good luck!" he called.

Sable grinned and sat back down. The shop was empty once again.

"I'm hungry," Mabel complained to Sable.

"We just had breakfast," Sable told her sister.

Mabel huffed and crossed her arms.

"Lunch isn't for another hour, Mabel. Just be patient, please," Sable begged. She knew her sister hated sitting around in the shop all day, so Sable would do fun things with her on the weekend to make up for it. It never seemed to be enough though.

The same normal customers came in throughout the day, and Sable sold items. At one point, when the store was pretty occupied, she caught sight of someone she had not seen before. He had rounded ears and bushy tail, and when she turned, she realized he was a raccoon.

 _Strange,_ she thought. _I thought I knew everyone in this town._

Perhaps he had just moved in, or perhaps she had just never noticed him before, though she figured she would've. He looked so different from the other animals that it was hard not to notice.

When the rush of the day settled down, Sable worked to close the shop while Mabel sat in the corner and played with some dolls. Sable swept up the shop and glanced outside, watching a steady snow come down.

"Ooh, snow!" Mabel exclaimed, dropping her toys and pressing her face to the window.

Sable giggled and shook her head. She sighed as she glanced outside.

"I wish it would stop snowing," she muttered.

"It's fun," Mabel exclaimed, obviously overhearing her.

Sable shrugged. "I always liked spring better. This winter feels like it's been going on forever."

"It'll be okay, sissy," Mabel said in an attempt to comfort her.

"Well, your birthday will come soon enough," Sable teased. Mabel's birthday wasn't until May, but it felt nice to know that some event they could celebrate would be coming up at some point.

"I'm gonna be four!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable laughed. "That's right. But right now, you're three, and we go to bed at this time."

"Aw..." Mabel complained.

Sable shook her head. "What am I going to do with you? Come on," she said. She lifted Mabel up and carried her upstairs. How had she so quickly changed from becoming the older sister to a parent now?


	24. Chapter 24

Winter turned into spring. The snow gradually melted, the sun became brighter, and the air became warmer.

Things were looking up for Label. Harriet's funds were helping her strive in the city. She had learned how to apply make-up like Harriet taught her and was even able to buy a few new outfits of her own.

With the spare money she had, Label even bought some sewing supplies and began to try to create her own works. Her sketching became more frequent, and she felt inspired again.

As March reached its end, Label was thrilled to realize she had now collected the 2000 bells to Dr. Frillard. She put on her best dress and dolled her face up as she headed out to the Marquee one morning.

The city was lively, just how Label liked it. It was the weekend, and many were out with their kids or family. Label smiled a bit at them, trying to ignore the thoughts of her own family in the back of her head, and she headed toward the large theater.

Label stepped inside, feeling like a new person. So much had changed since her first time here. She approached the front desk.

"Hello there. Which show would you like to see today?"

"I'm here to see Dr. Shrunk and Dr. Frillard," Label explained.

"You have to see a show-"

"No, you don't understand. I've been here before," Label pleaded.

"We don't allow regular folk in to see them."

"Please!" Label begged.

"What's the hold-up?" came an enthusiastic voice.

Label spun around, and her eyes lit up. There was Dr. Shrunk in the lobby, on his way to a break.

"Dr. Shrunk, it's me! Label!" she exclaimed.

"Label? Hardly recognized you. I'll take her off your hands," he told the clerk.

Label excitedly followed him upstairs. Dr. Frillard was sitting on a couch, a book in hand.

"Guess who decided to pay a visit, Frillard," Shrunk spoke up.

The old lizard looked up. "Ah, Label, is that you?"

"I couldn't even recognize her," Shrunk explained. "Looks like a real city girl to me."

Label grinned and took a seat on the couch.

"What brings you here today, miss?" Frillard asked.

"Well, if I recall, I did have a little debt to repay." She put her hands into her purse and pulled out a large bag of bells.

"I had almost forgot," Frillard said, laughing to himself. He reached out his hand to collect the bag of bells.

"Thank you so much for giving me those bells. It really helped me out in the beginning," Label told him.

"How long have you been here now?" Shrunk asked.

"Three months," Label told him. "But I suppose it feels longer."

"What have you been up to, then?" Shrunk wondered.

"Well, for starters, I got an apartment, which was what the bells helped out with. Thank you again, Dr. Frillard. Now I work full time helping out at Shampoodle and occasionally helping Katrina at the fortune teller shop nearby."

Both Shrunk and Frillard shivered. " _Katrina,"_ they muttered.

"She's really not that bad. I don't know what everyone is complaining about."

"Well, you certainly look like you're getting along well," Shrunk told her. "Although working at a hair salon. Why not work here at Marquee?"

"What?" Label asked.

"Frillard wants to retire soon. We're looking for a full-time comedian," Shrunk proposed.

"You're serious?"

"I don't know. Am I?"

Label giggled. "Well, if your offer is serious, I'll have to decline it. I'm no good at comedy, but thank you."

"What was it you wanted to be again, dear?" Frillard asked.

"I don't remember hair stylist coming into the picture," Shrunk added.

"A fashion designer," Label explained.

"Not an entertainer?"

"No. A fashion designer," Label said much more strongly this time.

"Well, how is that coming along?" Shrunk asked.

"It's...coming, I guess. Obviously the job I work isn't really meant for a fashion designer. It's just something to make bells, really. But I've still been drawing in my sketchbook, and I'm even starting to sew again," Label explained.

"Again?"

"Er...well, I stopped for a while," Label said. "But I'm feeling inspired again."

"Well, that's good. Inspiration fuels success," Frillard told her.

"You got any connections, any family to help you out?" Shrunk asked.

"No, I don't know how to get into the fashion industry. I came from a family of tailors. We had our own shop, but...that's about it," Label explained.

"Hm..." Shrunk scratched his head and thought to himself.

"I mean, if you know of anyone I would be thrilled to hear," Label said.

"I'm trying to think," Shrunk said. He shut his eyes and concentrated while Label and Frillard sat in an awkward silence.

"That's it!" Shrunk exclaimed so loudly that Label nearly leapt out of her seat.

"Did you think of something?" Label asked.

"Gracie!"

"Who?"

"There's this fashionista that likes to parade around. Her name is Gracie. She's a tall giraffe, usually wears a scarf around her neck and is wearing something extravagant. She likes to drive her car around to different towns and judge people's accessories, but she likes to frequent the city too," Shrunk explained.

"I've never heard of her," Label admitted.

"She is quite...interesting," Frillard said.

"She isn't one to mess with," Shrunk explained to Label. "She is high-up in the fashion industry, and while she could get you into it, you first need her approval. She only approves of those with the highest fashion sense, and if you're lucky enough, maybe she'll make you her pupil."

"When does she next come to the city?" Label asked.

"That I don't know. She doesn't really have a schedule," Shrunk explained. "I personally think she's a pain in the..."

Frillard raised his eyes at Shrunk.

"Well, as Frillard said, she's interesting. Maybe she can help you out if you're lucky enough. She's easy to spot if you're out and about, so maybe that'll be your way in. Other than that, that's all I can do to help. I got a show in five minutes," Shrunk explained.

"No, that was very helpful!" Label exclaimed. "I'll keep my eye out." She stood up from the couch and waved good-bye to the two. "Thank you again, especially for those bells. The advice was helpful too."

"Of course, of course," Shrunk said.

"If you ever need some more bells, please stop by," Frillard spoke in his raspy voice.

"Oh, thank you, but I hope I won't need to," Label said. She headed downstairs, feeling even more excited than when she had entered. She was learning more and more about the city every day.


	25. Chapter 25

A chapter in which everyone's most despised video game villain finally makes an appearance

The snow melted completely, leaving fresh and dewy green grass and colorful flowers in its wake. Multi-colored butterflies gently floated on top of the spring breeze while the hum of bumblebees could be heard in the air.

The cherry blossoms floated down to the earth in early April, and multiple festivals came and went until it was already May with summer fast approaching.

May 22 was a day of particular excitement because Mabel would be turning four years old. Sable had invited the whole town to come to the shop for a party. She had even closed business for that day to ensure her sister would have a lovely party.

On the day of the party itself, Sable dressed Mabel up in a pretty green dress, which she wore with pride around the shop. Balloons were hung inside and outside the shop while a beautiful cake sat in the fridge, waiting to be devoured later.

As Sable tied balloons down, Mabel walked around excitedly, going on and on about the celebration, what the cake would taste like, what presents she would receive, and so forth.

"When is it starting?" Mabel complained.

"Soon, I promise," Sable told her.

Mabel nodded and hummed to herself. The doors were soon opening, and animals began arriving in masses. A small pile of gifts was built up on the table, and each showered Mabel in affection.

"Where's the birthday girl?!" Mayor Tortimer exclaimed.

Mabel peeped out behind Sable's leg and grinned. "Right here!"

"Already four years old, what do you know? Here's a gift for you," he said, leaning down and handing her a small package. Mabel giggled and ran to place it on the table with all her other gifts.

"I'm glad so many could come," Sable told him as she watched Mabel chat with the others.

"Of course. Not much excitement going on right now anyway," Tortimer noted.

At that moment, Sable spotted that same raccoon enter the shop that she had noticed a few months early. She had been seeing him around town a lot more, but she still wasn't acquainted with him.

"Say, who's that?" Sable asked. "I haven't seen him around."

"Oh, Tom Nook? He's been living here for a few years."

"I guess I never noticed," Sable said to herself.

"Always working, you are!" Tortimer teased. "I think someone wants cake."

Sable nodded and fetched the cake from upstairs. She delicately placed candles in a small circle and watched as Mabel's eyes lit up at the sight of the sweet and colorful frosting.

"Someone get the lights!" Sable called.

The room became illuminated by the light of the four candles, and the crowd broke into a low, slightly-off pitch rendition of happy birthday.

"Happy Birthday to you!" they finished.

"Make a wish, Mabel!" Sable encouraged.

Her younger sister sucked in a deep breath and practically spit on the candles with her exhale. The candles went on, the lights came back on, and Mabel clapped her hands together eagerly.

"Make a good wish?" Sable asked.

"Yes! But I can't tell you, or else it won't come true," Mabel warned.

"All right. I won't ask," Sable promised. She cut a big slice of cake for her sister before distributing the rest, and they all stood and ate pieces of delicious cake.

The cake was soon discarded for presents, and Sable had to quickly make note of what Mabel had gotten while her sister rapidly tore from present to present. There were an assortment of toys, a few clothing items, but mostly toys. She had never seen Mabel so excited. It was the Toy Day that she hadn't gotten.

When all the presents were open and not a single piece of cake remained, the party began to die down, and the crowd began to disperse.

"Back to Town Hall, I guess," Tortimer reckoned. "Happy Birthday, Mabel!"

"Thank you," Mabel replied gleefully.

"Say 'bye' to Tortimer," Sable told Mabel enthusiastically.

"Bye, bye!" Mabel shouted.

"She's a bit loud, huh?" came a voice behind Sable. She spun around to see Tom Nook, the raccoon Tortimer had pointed out earlier.

"Aren't all four-year-olds though?" she wondered.

Tom chuckled to himself. "I guess so."

"I'm Sable, by the way," she said, holding out her hand. "I don't think we've met before."

"I'm Tom Nook, but I know who you are already. I've been living here a while, but I guess we just never ran into each other," he said.

"Yeah. Too busy working to notice," Sable admitted.

"I'm really impressed by what you've been able to do," Tom told her.

"Really?" Sable asked.

"Yeah, it's amazing you were able to re-open this shop and get some good business after your, um...parents. Sorry about that by the way," he said.

Sable shrugged, though it still pained her to think of her family. It hadn't even been a year since they had died. An awkward silence settled between the two until Tom began speaking again.

"I want to run a business some day," he explained.

"Oh, really?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah, a big shop in the city!"

Sable stiffened, suddenly thinking of Label. "You like city life, then, huh?"

"I think city and country life both have their perks. I'd like to see what city life is about too," Tom explained. "Then, I can finally achieve my dream, too. You're pretty successful. Maybe you could give me some pointers."

Sable laughed. "Successful as in re-opening a business already established by my parents. But thanks, I appreciate it."

"Say, you want to make a special outfit for me?" Tom wondered. "I look pretty good in green and need a new shirt."

"I think I might have one. Just a second," Sable said. She dipped out of what remained of the party and shuffled around some boxes before pulling out a dark green shirt. She returned with it in hand and gave it to Tom.

"How does this look?" she asked.

"Perfect! How much?"

"You can have it for free," Sable told him. "As a thanks for coming today."

"Are you sure? I have bells," he offered.

Sable shook her head. "No charge. It'll suit you well."

"Thanks," Tom replied, slipping the shirt underneath his arm. Everyone had nearly gone now, leaving them alone.

"I guess I should head out," Tom realized.

"Oh, okay," Sable replied.

"What are your plans for summer?" the raccoon asked.

"Just working," Sable replied.

"Well, I'll swing by sometimes, keep you company," he said. "Or stop by my house. It's on the other side of town. We can hang out."

"Oh, okay. T-thanks," Sable stammered. She hadn't had a friend in so long that it felt unreal that someone wanted to hang out with her.

"Happy birthday, Mabel," Tom said, glancing down at the smaller hedgehog. "See you around, Sable. Thanks for the shirt!"

"Bye, Tom!" she called, waving as he left. Sable remained in a rather good mood for the rest of the day as she cleaned up the party, thinking about the new friendship she had just formed.


	26. Chapter 26

it's time for another TIME SKIP. I have to basically chronicle their whole lives guys so forgive me, but I have to do time skips

Spring turned to summer, then summer to autumn, and the whole seasons went around again. An entire year and a half passed from that warm spring day, and soon, it was nearing the end of autumn.

Label had been living in the city nearly two years now. At eighteen years old, she had refurnished her apartment, saving up for an even bigger and better one, and she had continued her job working with both Harriet and Katrina.

In the meantime, she sketched and sketched and even afforded enough to buy her own sewing machine to start designing clothes. Life was going pretty well, and most days her mind did not wander to the family she left behind until late at night where she constantly wondered if she was meant to be here in the city after all.

She had not run into Gracie, though she often heard the giraffe had appeared from time to time. She was always somewhere else though, whether she was working or at the store or in her apartment. She was getting tired of missing the giraffe's presence. She started to wonder if she'd ever find someone to launch her career. She could only keep working for Harriet for so long.

It was a cold start to the day on an early November morning. She tugged a coat close to her body as she headed out, imagining that snow would start falling in a couple of weeks.

Lampposts lit Label's way through the darkness as she went on her way to work. Very few buses were running, and the sun had barely risen. It was days like these she felt on edge and uncomfortable in the city. There was no rushing stream or tall trees in the distance, just the empty sound of wind blowing past buildings.

She entered Harriet's shop, already finding the light on inside. It appeared the pink poodle had just arrived too.

"Cold today, huh?" Harriet noted.

Label nodded, still clinging onto her coat.

Harriet handed her a warm cup. "Here, I picked up some coffee from Brewster's place along the way."

"Thanks," Label replied, reaching for the warm cup of coffee. She took a sip of coffee, the hot liquid warming her entire body.

"Does anyone celebrate the Harvest Festival around here?" Label asked as she continued to take sips of coffee.

"Harvest Festival? That's a country thing, right? Never heard of it here."

"Oh, I guess it wouldn't be celebrated here," Label realized. There weren't nearby farms or fresh ingredients to make a feast. She hadn't celebrated a festival like that year her parents had died, but she still found herself thinking of celebrations back home now and again. She realized Sable's birthday had passed, and that her little sister would be fifteen now. It was hard to believe.

"Well, let's get to work!" Harriet declared.

Label nodded and began to clean the shop, glancing outside the window. She always seemed to be longing for something nowadays. Her job with Harriet brought in a good number of bells, but the job was beginning to feel empty in itself. She wanted to pursue her own career. She wasn't as young as she was when she first came here. She could easily manage a career on her own.

"Label, I said 'can you pick up those scissors'?" Harriet asked.

"Oh, sorry!" Label responded, rushing to pick down a pair of scissors that had fallen out of Harriet's paw.

"You seem all out of sorts nowadays. Is everything okay?" Harriet wondered.

"Fine. The holidays are coming up and all..." Label noted.

"Ah, that's right, and you don't have family here. That must be hard," Harriet thought.

"It's fine," Label replied.

"Why don't you go home for the holidays?" Harriet wondered. "I can give you time off, you know. You're always working here."

Label shook her head.

"Why not?"

"It's too far, and too expensive," she lied.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know," Harriet replied, returning back to her work. Label nodded and resumed sweeping. The sun was rising now, illuminating the buildings with a stark yellow.

Label grinned a bit. It was also beautiful seeing the sunrise reflect off metal in the morning. She loved it when a nice fog settled over the city or when she saw Phineas hand out multi-colored balloons to the children that came by.

The holidays were always hard. Label knew that. It was her third holiday without her family. But she'd get through it, and maybe someday, she'd have the fashion job of her dreams.

Harriet unlocked the shop, and customers begin to come in for their regular haircuts.

"Why don't you stop by Katrina's?" Harriet suggested. "I think I've got it covered here."

Label nodded and exited the shop, heading toward Katrina's small shop that was nestled in the corner. She took a step in, finding the panther sitting at her desk.

"Ah, if it isn't the lost soul of Scorpio," Katrina said upon Label's entering. "What have you come for today? A fortune? Something to secure your luck?"

"I just came to see if you had any work for me to do," Label explained.

"Hm..." The panther scratched her dark ear. "I suppose you could clean the incense holders."

"Great," Label muttered.

Katrina set her to work, and Label sat on the ground, scrubbing off the metal plates while reeking of incense.

"You are unhappy, Scorpio," Katrina stated.

"I'm doing fine," Label replied.

"I don't think you imagined you'd be cleaning incense holders," Katrina stated.

"No, I guess I didn't. I'll get my dream job someday. I just need to keep working for now," Label replied.

Katrina grinned and moved closer to her.

"I believe bad times will only get more bad before they get better," Katrina told her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Label asked, starting to get annoyed with her.

"I just think it means you still have many more trials to face," Katrina said.

"Well, when I meet those trials, I'll face them," Label replied.

"Good for you, then. Maybe you will even face the trial of seeing your family again, though that is far off."

"How do you know about my family?" Label asked, suddenly taken aback.

"I'm Katrina. I know all," she replied, returning back to her same, annoying self.

Label grumbled to herself as she finished cleaning the metal plates.

"Is that all you need me to do?" she asked.

"Yes, I suppose so. Fare well, lost soul of Scorpio," Katrina said as Label exited the shop.

Normally, Label enjoyed being amused by Katrina, but today, her remarks had seemed almost too real, and she left the shop with an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach.


	27. Chapter 27

The next year and a half could not have been more well-suited for Sable. She spent her days caring for Mabel, of course, but also working hard to stitch and sew. She was getting closer and closer every day to being on par with her parents.

Mabel was now five and was able to help Sable out with little work projects, like grabbing different colored cloths or even very carefully sewing with Sable's immense help.

Mabel did not speak of Label much, nor their parents. She assumed her memories of their parents had become fuzzy, though she still remembered Label well enough. The concept of death was finally settling into her little sister's mind, and Sable guessed she finally realized their parents would not be coming back at all.

But despite this dark aspect, the two got along well. At times Mabel would throw a fit, but she was growing more and more every day, and Sable couldn't be prouder. Sable felt immense love radiating from her sister, and Sable reciprocated the same familial love.

Label had not said a word since her departure to the city. Sable sometimes still thought of her and considered a city trip one day, but it had been nearly two years now, and she supposed that if the city life was what Label really wanted, she should just leave her alone.

Then, there was Tom. Sable had grown incredibly close with the raccoon over the past year. It had started with little visits here and there, but she realized how alike they were. She admired his passion to live out his dreams (even if it did include the city in it).

They spent their days together when the shop was closed, and he even helped care for Mabel as well. Mabel took quite a liking to Tom and was glad to have someone else to play with. They were like a small and happy family.

One day late in November, shortly after Sable's fifteenth birthday had passed, she was awoken by Mabel shoving against her side.

"Wake up! Wake up!" she screeched.

"What is it?" Sable groaned and rolled to the side. She and her sister still shared the same room, with Mabel sleeping in Label's bed now. Sable was beginning to wish for more privacy now though after being annoyed with unwanted wake-ups.

"The Harvest Festival!" Mabel screeched.

Sable grinned and sat up. The shop would be closed today while they spent the whole day celebrating. Sable thought back to that day a couple years ago when it was the most food she and her siblings had gotten in a while. Sable was able to afford a good meal now, but she still enjoyed the festival each year.

"All right. All right. I'll get ready," Sable grumbled, sitting up.

After breakfast was served and they were ready for the day, Sable headed out the door with her younger sister, hand-in-hand. Tom was waiting for them outside the shop. He grinned at the two, then held out a bouquet of flowers for Sable.

"For you," he said, grinning widely.

"Oh, t-thanks," Sable stammered, blushing a little. "Let me set them inside."

"What are the plans for today, then?" Tom asked as she rejoined him moments later.

"I guess whatever Mabel is down for," she said, glancing down at the blue hedgehog.

"Pick mushrooms!" Mabel exclaimed, pointing to the white mushrooms sticking up from the ground.

"Well, I can't say it's the most exciting thing ever," Sable said apologetically to Tom.

"Oh, it'll be fun," he assured her.

Leading up to the festival that afternoon, they paraded around town picking fresh mushrooms and chasing dragonflies.

Tortimer then happily began the feast. Sable loaded up her sister's plate with all kinds of food and sat with Tom.

"I always look forward to the Harvest Festival," he said happily, shoving an array of food into his mouth.

Sable giggled and took a bite of some potatoes. "Me too."

"It's a shame they won't have this when I go to the city someday though. I'll miss it," Tom explained, taking another bite.

"They don't...celebrate the Harvest Festival in the city?" Sable asked.

Tom shook his head. "A shame, huh?"

Sable nodded, her mind wandering. She wondered what the holiday season was even like for Label. What did she do for Toy Day?

"You okay?" Tom asked.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Cut for me?" Mabel asked, pointing to her potatoes. Sable grinned and began cutting her food, but her mind was still focused on Label. She hadn't thought this much of her sister in a long time. She felt...sad for Label in a way, but then those feelings of anger returned, and Sable instead focused on cutting the food for her family sitting right in front of her.

"How is everyone?" Tortimer asked, stopping by their table.

"Delicious!" Tom exclaimed, mouth full of food.

The tortoise chuckled in response. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying the food, Tom. You girls, eat more. We've got plenty of food."

"I'm already getting full," Sable honestly replied.

"I'll go get pie," Tom suggested, walking away. He returned moments later with three huge slabs of apple pie.

"Tom! How are we going to eat all of that?!" Sable exclaimed.

"Yes, pie!" Mabel exclaimed, reaching her fork forward.

"Don't eat yourself sick," Sable warned her sister before shoving the piece in front of her.

Sable's stomach was already at her limit, but she ate a few bites of pie before shoving it aside. Meanwhile, Tom was nearly halfway through his piece.

"That's all your eating?!"

"I'm so full," Sable groaned.

"Sable, get ahold of yourself. This is the last piece of excellent Harvest Festival pie you'll be having in a long time. Come on, you've got to have one more bite."

"I don't think I can."

"Here, I'll feed it to you," he said, whisking her plate away. He stuck the fork into the pie and held it out.

"Tom, no!" Sable replied, giggling.

"Come on!"

She hesitantly opened her mouth and chewed the bite. Her stomach felt as if it were about to explode, but she had to admit, it was good pie.

"See?" Tom said as she happily chewed.

She nodded and glanced at her sister, who was close to finishing off her piece.

"That's enough," she said, taking the plate away.

"Awww..." Mabel complained.

"Maybe we'll make our own homemade apple pie," she promised.

It was getting dark as the three headed back. Tom walked the two back slowly, all of them having trouble moving after a long feast.

"Well, until next year's Harvest Festival," he said as he dropped them off at the shop's door.

"See you, Tom."

"I'll see you guys tomorrow," he said, waving as he took off.

Sable grinned and led her sister back inside, tucking her in so she was all comfortable. Mabel let out a big yawn and shut her eyes as Sable kissed the top of her forehead.

"Good night," she said.

But it seemed like the hedgehog was already fast asleep. Sable grinned and turned, just as Mabel slipped out the faintest of words: "Label..."

Sable spun around, thinking perhaps she had misheard her sister. She was fast asleep, but there was no doubt she had whispered her other sister's name. Sable frowned, assuming Mabel had forgotten about Label as much as Sable had, but even then, Sable guessed she could never stop the hope Mabel had that Label would one day return.


	28. Chapter 28

Winter was soon upon the city. It was cold again, and a light snow covered the top of rooftops and lamp poles. Label had managed to get through another holiday season without her family, and she was thrilled to be able to start the new year on a more positive note.

Something was up the moment she stepped in to Shampoodle. Harriet had been acting distant lately, but today, she just seemed in a poor mood altogether.

"Oh, you're here," Harriet said, barely glancing up from her work. "Well, go ahead and get started."

The day went by very awkwardly. Neither of them really spoke to each other, and Label wondered if she had done something wrong to make the poodle angry.

When the day came to a close, there was still an awkward tension between them, and Label couldn't stand it any longer. She glanced up at Harriet and locked eyes with her.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Harriet asked.

"You're clearly upset. Did I do something wrong?" Label asked, more stern this time.

"Oh, Label, it's not that..." She could tell the pink poodle was on the verge of tears.

"Harriet, what happened? Did something happen to you?" Label gasped.

"Label...I have to let you go," Harriet said sadly.

Label took a step back. Her need to comfort the poodle suddenly vanished. She glanced at Harriet in disbelief.

"What-what do you mean?" Label asked.

"It's been coming on for a while."

"I can do better. I promise!" Label begged.

Harriet shook her head. "You were a great help when this place first opened, but city crowds have been lower than normal. A new shop hasn't opened in years. I've had less business, and...I can't afford your help anymore."

"But how will you run this place?" Label asked.

"I'll manage," Harriet promised. "I'm so sorry. I really don't want to do this, but...I have to, Label."

"Where am I going to get bells?!" Label exclaimed, suddenly becoming frustrated.

"I'm sure there are other animals willing to hire you," Harriet promised.

"What about Katrina? Does she need help?" Label wondered.

"You would really want to work full-time for her?"

"Well, no..."

"Katrina is cheap, Label. I really just paid you extra because I didn't want to deal with her. It's not like she was going to pay me to help," Harriet explained. "No, I'm sorry, Label. I have no other job to offer you."

"But..." Label was at a loss for words. She thought she was moving up in the city. She had a steady job, a nice looking apartment. Now she was jobless, and her bells would run out fast.

She could always go back to Shrunk, but it had been so long since she'd last seen him. It would just be weird. They probably thought she was high and mighty in fashion by now.

"Label, I can't express how sorry I am," Harriet said, reaching forward to comfort her.

"Get away!" Label cried out. She grabbed her things and marched out the shop, slamming the door behind her. She heard Harriet call for her, but Label wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

A steady snowfall was coming down as Label marched into the city's plaza. She pulled her coat close to her and leaned up against a brick building, tears streaming down her face.

Perhaps she'd never get the city life of her dreams and would have to return home after two years looking like an idiot to her sisters. She did her best to keep herself from full-on crying, not wanting her mascara to smear.

 _I'll never be a city girl,_ she thought to herself. It was a shame. She loved being in the city. She loved the atmosphere. But it seemed like all of that would come to an end.

Label stood against the building for a bit, sniffling to herself. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her, and she felt a hoof touch her shoulder.

"Pardon me, dearie, but _where_ did you get that outfit?!"

Label wiped a tear away and glanced up, taken aback. A tall giraffe stood in front of her. She was dressed in a stylish tank and dark pants with beautiful brown boots and a scarf wrapped around her neck. This was no doubt the fashion designer Label had heard about so long ago.

Label tried to regain her composure and glanced at the fashion star in front of her.

"I-I made it," she stammered. _Wow, that came off so sophisticated,_ she thought immediately after.

The giraffe eyed her. "You...made this?" she said, lifting one of Label's sleeves. "My, I'm surprised. I'm Gracie, top fashion designer, although I'm sure you knew that. I admire your fashion choices, darling. I assumed you bought this from a nice store, but to think you made it yourself..."

"Thank you," Label said.

"You have quite a fashionista in you!" Gracie exclaimed. "Is this the only thing you've made?"

"No. I made a couple other outfits as well, but I love to sketch designs too," Label explained.

"My! I like your style! What's your name?"

"Label," she replied.

Gracie wrinkled her nose in disgust. "My, what a gross smalltown nickname that is. You're not city folk, are you?"

"I left home a couple years ago," Label told her. "I've always wanted to come to the city."

"Well, a proper city girl needs a proper city name. Lay-la-that's it! Labelle!"

"Pardon?"

"Labelle could be your new fabulous name," Gracie explained. "It's sophisticated, yet innocent."

"Labelle?"

"Yes, that's it!" Gracie exclaimed. "You see this old building over here?" She pointed to a large, empty shop that hadn't been occupied in years. "I'm planning to open up my own store, and I'll be on the lookout for employees. It's hard for someone to take to my liking, but you have, honey! Stop by when it's open, and we can talk more."

"Seriously?" Label asked, shocked.

"Of course! I don't joke about fashion, darling. I'll keep an eye out for you," Gracie said, before strutting off.

Label backed against the wall again in complete shock. What had just happened? She'd been upset over the loss of her job, but it seemed like she had just climbed in ranks. Of course, Gracie wouldn't be hiring for a while.

 _I'll just have to save my bells, and then I can join her in her shop,_ Label told her self.

 _Label...what a gross smalltown nickname that is._ Gracie's words rang in her ears. Label began to think her name wouldn't match up to city life either.

She had been here two years, she had grown in her fashion career. It was time for a change.

"Today, I become Labelle!" she announced.


	29. Chapter 29

The snow melted mid-February, and soon enough the grass was green again and colored insects were flying and hopping around again. It was Sunday, and Sable had decided to close the shop for the day to spend time with Mabel and tom.

The day was warmer than usual, and they had all decided it would be a good day to pick flowers and catch bugs. Sable stood in front of her mirror, gazing at her outfit. It was just a simple shirt and some pants. She hoped it looked nice enough.

"When are we going, sissy?" Mabel asked.

"In just a few minutes," Sable promised.

"Why do you keep looking in the mirror?"

"I just want to make sure I look nice, that's all," Sable told her.

"Do you _like_ Tom?" Mabel asked.

"Not like that!" Sable exclaimed, lightly shoving her younger sister. Mabel giggled and ran off to get the bug nets. Tom was waiting outside for them when they headed downstairs. It was getting into afternoon, but the sun was as bright as ever.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Sable nodded, and they took off.

"Look at the butterfly!" Mabel exclaimed, pointing to a pretty yellow butterfly that was gently flying in the air.

"Okay, now try to catch it," Sable whispered. She steadied the net in Mabel's hand and watched as her sister brought the net down. Slowly, Mabel pulled away to find the butterfly sitting in her hand.

"Hi, butterfly," Mabel said. The butterfly took off again, and Mabel gave a little wave to her new friend.

"I see a ladybug over here!" Tom called.

Mabel walked forward to catch another bug while Sable took a seat in the bright green grass and grinned. It was days like these that she forgot about her parents, about Label...

Soon, she was up again to now pick flowers with Mabel. They picked out a lovely bunch of flowers to put in a vase, and soon, the evening was upon them.

Sable sent Mabel inside to put the flowers in a vase and stood outside with Tom.

"Thanks for coming with us today. I think Mabel had a lot of fun," Sable told him.

"Of course! I always enjoy hanging out with you guys, though I wish we could hang out alone sometimes."

"Oh." Sable felt her cheeks get red. "I can leave Mabel alone for a couple minutes. We could watch the sunset."

"Sure."

"Okay, I'll go tell her," Sable said. She told her sister quickly that she'd be gone for a few minutes, and then she nearly ran down the stairs to be back with Tom. He was laying in the grass with his arms behind his head, staring up at the sky.

"The clouds look really pretty like this," he said.

Sable nodded and laid down beside him. The orange sky was strewn with pink cotton candy clouds, and the faintest traces of stars could be seen.

"How's the shop going?" he asked.

"Really good," Sable told him. "I feel like I'm managing the work well. We're making good profits. Even Mabel's working on her sewing."

Tom laughed. "You just have a family of tailors, don't you?"

"Pretty much," Sable replied.

"Still, it's amazing that you have a business at so young," Tom told her.

"You'll reach your dream some day," Sable assured him.

"What about your dreams? What do you want? I have a feeling it's more than the shop," Tom said, turning on his side to face her.

Sable frowned. "I-I don't know."

"Come on!"

"There's nothing really in my grasp right now," Sable told him. "I wish my parents were still alive."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Tom told her.

"No, it's okay. I think it'd be a lot easier though. I'm practically Mabel's mother at this point. She doesn't even remember our parents. And I...I wish my sister were here too," Sable lamented.

"The one who left a couple of years ago? What was her name again?" Tom asked.

"I-I'd rather not say. I don't like to talk about it. I don't bring it up in front of Mabel. I just hope she's okay, and she's found her dream in the city," Sable muttered.

"I'd love to open a shop in the city somewhere," Tom explained.

"In the city? Won't you miss country life?" Sable asked.

"Yeah, but it'd be nice to have a change of scenery for once. You'd have to come visit me," Tom told her.

"I don't know. I don't really like the city," Sable replied. Really, she was too afraid she'd run into Label in the city. As much as she wanted her sister to return somedays, she didn't want a reunion anytime soon.

"But there's so much to do! All I really want is my own business, like you."

"Like me?"

"Yeah! Like I said, I'm really impressed by what you've been able to do. You've inspired me a lot," Tom said. "I know it's possible for me to open a shop in the city one day. I just know it."

Sable grinned.

"'Dreams before money' is what I like to say," Tom mentioned after a bit of silence.

"You don't care about the profits?"

"Well, it'd be nice to have a little more bells, but no. I just want a job where I'm happy," Tom told her.

Sable leaned forward, and not really comprehending her actions, kissed him on the cheek. Tom's eyes widened, and he smiled.

"You should go for your dream," she told him.

Tom squeezed her hand with this. "Thanks. I will."

All light had pretty much vanished by now, and the stars brightened the sky. Sable sat back up, realizing it was time to go.

"Mabel needs you?" he asked.

"She always needs me," Sable replied.

"Well, thanks for enlightening me," Tom told her, sitting up as well. "I'll see you soon," he said, taking off.

Sable grinned, her cheeks hot. She stepped back inside, full of ecstasy. Her sister was sitting upstairs playing.

"Why do you look like that?" Mabel asked.

"Like what?"

"Like you're a princess who met her prince or something," Mabel muttered.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Aren't you hungry? Let's make you some dinner," Sable suggested.

"Can we have macaroni and cheese?" Mabel asked.

"We had that last night. Come on. Sit down, and I'll get something started."

Mabel grinned and took a seat while Sable fixed dinner, though all she could think about was how content she was with life right now. Nothing could get better than right now.

You guys don't know how tempting it is for me to write my own comments in the margin like NOOK U GREEDY LIAR, but idk is that spoiling too much? I think we all know what'll happen lol.


	30. Chapter 30

Labelle was able to get by after the loss of her job. She purposely avoided Harriet's shop, but she often saw her sometimes among the crowd and quickly ducked away.

Labelle's conversation with Gracie had offered her hope though, and early spring, there was rumor that construction would be starting.

Labelle remembered excitedly walking to the ATM and hearing the sound of jackhammers. A large building in the center of the plaza was being constructed, and Labelle could only hope that Gracie was behind it.

Her hopes were correct she saw a golden logo mounted on the frame of the building one day. It read "GracieGrace" and underneath it was a help wanted sign.

Joy filled up inside her, and she cautiously approached the building. Construction was nearly complete, but there were still sounds of construction echoing around the area.

The door was already open, and Labelle quickly recognized Gracie. The tall giraffe stood, waving her hooves in the air as she pointed out where things would be placed.

"Not your right, _my_ right!" she shouted to a construction worker wheeling a coat hanger.

"Um...hello," Labelle called, clearing her throat.

"Didn't I tell you the lamps were supposed to go in _that_ corner?" Gracie said to another, clearly not hearing her.

"Excuse me," Labelle spoke up.

Gracie's head finally turned, and her gaze fell on the young hedgehog.

"I remember you! You're the country girl I met," Gracie said. She left the yelling aside and approached Labelle. "What was your name again? Able..."

"Labelle," she corrected her.

"Ah, that's right! So you did take on that nickname I gave you! How grand! That country name was ghastly anyway. What can I do for you?"

"Um...I saw the 'Help Wanted' sign in the door, and I was wondering..."

"Ah, about a job! I've had many come in and try to snag a spot, but I'll only be hiring the best of the best," Gracie explained.

Labelle felt her heart sink. "Oh, well...would you consider me?"

Gracie paused and glanced at her outfit. Labelle stood awkwardly, feeling as if the giraffe was scanning her entire body with x-ray vision.

"Hm," she said, now walking around Labelle.

Labelle stood stiffly, unsure what Gracie was thinking.

"The embroidery on this dress is well done. Your shoes do match the outfit. And your handbag is lovely," Gracie said, taking a step back. "Remind me, you were the one who knitted her own clothing, correct?"

Labelle nodded. "Yes, the dress is handmade."

"Ah, I remember much better now! Yes, I would consider an interview. Let's do it right now."

"R-right now?" Labelle stammered.

"Well, of course. I'm too busy to do it any other time."

"Shouldn't we go into a room or-"

"Nonsense. These construction workers don't care what you have to say. I might not either unless you convince me, so...it's time to test your fashion knowledge."

"What? Shouldn't we discuss my position-"

"This is a store all about fashion, so these questions are of the upmost importance," Gracie announced. "So you better pay attention."

Labelle nodded her head.

"First question: People who won't settle for anything but designer labels..

"Um...are my people," Labelle responded, trying her best to think just as Gracie would.

"Question 2...Honey, I just heard someone say 'That kid is the new hotness!' What do you think of that?"

Labelle had no idea where this was going, but she cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Who says?" she countered

"Okay, prepare yourself for the next question. You hit up a hot sale. You only have time to run for one area. Where do you go?"

"Bags, of course," Labelle replied.

"Darling, you'd best be ready for question number four. When is it appropriate to sport legwarmers?"

"Never!" Labelle immediately responded.

"Finally...what's your greatest asset?"

"My face," Labelle replied.

"All right, dear. I know where you stand in the world of fashion. You're hired," Gracie replied.

"What? I got the job? Just like that?"

"I don't mess around when it comes to fashion, darling," Gracie told her. "You're my only employee so far, and might be my only one if no one else can live up to your beauty standards."

"I...this is great! When do I start?" Labelle asked excitedly.

"Show up here next week, 8 am sharp. We have a lot to do, honey. It'll be the biggest and grandest opening of all."

"Shouldn't I have some training or something?" Labelle wondered.

"I already know your fashion senses are keen. That's all you'll need," Gracie assured her. "But I would by a nice outfit to wear. Black would look nice on you."

"Oh, okay. Thank you. Thank you very much," Labelle told her. She dipped out and let out a little shriek of happiness as she came back out into the plaza.

She wouldn't have to be as careful with her money now. Her fashion dreams were finally taking off. And now, she could guarantee that she could live well in the city on her own.


	31. Chapter 31

Work was the same old for Sable. She spent her days sewing and selling, and she was content with that. Mabel was growing every day and practicing her own sewing skills while Tom visited often to keep them company.

Life would never be as perfect as when her whole family was here and alive, but she was more content than she had ever been since her parents' deaths.

One afternoon, Tom excitedly rushed through the door. Sable was just finishing up a sale with a customer when she looked up to see his excited face.

"Didn't you hear?! I'm going to the city!" he exclaimed.

"What?!" Sable exclaimed. She shooed the rest of the customers out, promising she'd reopen in an hour, then she shut up shop.

"Why don't you take a seat and explain?" she asked.

But the raccoon was too eager to sit. He paced around the shop excitedly while Mabel played with some leftover string.

"When do you leave?" Sable asked.

"You don't look excited," Tom admitted.

"No, I am happy for you...it's just..." Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. "When do you leave?"

"In two weeks," Tom told her.

"So soon?"

He nodded. His joy seemed to have vanished a bit, and the room was filled with an awkward silence.

"I have some distant relatives in the city that are willing to take me in. It was hard to convince my parents, but finally Dad agreed that I've got to try to live out my dream and that I can't stay here forever."

"Tom, it's one thing to start a business here, but in the city?"

"What happened to all your motivational talk earlier?" he asked.

"I'm not trying to tell you not to. But maybe you should wait a little longer. These things don't always work out," Sable told him.

"I'm going to give it my all though," Tom promised. "I know I can do great things."

"I think you can too..."

"Why do you seem so down about it?"

There were a million reasons running through Sable's mind. It was one thing to talk about dreams, but another to live them.

"Fine. If you don't want to congratulate me, then I'll leave," he said.

"Tom, I didn't mean-"

He shrugged and grabbed his things, leaving the shop. Sable took a seat on her chair, tears beginning to stream down her face. Mabel came forward and tugged on her apron.

"Sissy, why are you crying? Tom will be okay," she promised.

Sable smiled weakly and pulled her sister tight. She was just beginning to enjoy life around her. Now her best friend whom she cared about so much was leaving her. She feared what he would see in the city, what he would do. She had lost Label to the city already, but she didn't want to lose him too.

Still, she knew it was his dream, and she had to respect that. Maybe he could start a business like he had always hoped. Maybe she was just too selfish to think about the positives.

She spent the rest of the day in a sour mood. As closing came around, she began cleaning up, and just as she went to lock up, Tom was at the entrance.

She opened the door, staring at him.

"You want to look at stars on the roof?" he asked.

Sable looked around, then back at him. "Yeah...let me put Mabel to bed first. Come in."

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It's been bothering me all day. I know you're just concerned for me," he said as he followed her up the stairs.

"No, I'm sorry for what I said. I should be supporting you. Anyway, let's talk more after Mabel's settled down."

He patiently waited on the couch as she put her sister to bed. As soon as the lights in the bedroom were out, she led him up the steps to the rooftop.

The sky was bright and full of dazzling stars. Sable grabbed a blanket and set it down for them to rest on. She placed her head alongside his and glanced up at the stars.

"So...the city, huh?" she said.

"It's my only shot right now," Tom told her.

"Then go for it."

"Will you be upset?" Tom asked.

"No, of course not. I was being selfish earlier. I...I really like having you here, that's all," she said.

"Me too," Tom replied. "I promise I'll write as often as possible."

"How long will you be gone?" Sable asked.

"I don't know. It could just be for a few months, but if things do go my way, then maybe more," he said. "You'll come visit, won't you Sable?"

"Not anytime soon," she said. "I have the shop and Mabel."

"Well, if I am there awhile, you need to visit me at least once," Tom told her. "Promise?"

"I promise," she said. "Just keep your head straight though. The city can change you, I think."

"Of course. Dreams before money, right?"

"Right."

They were quiet for a bit, just admiring the night sky.

"Hey, let's make some constellations," Tom suggested.

"What?"

"Just pick out a bunch of stars and name them as your own."

"Okay. See those ones on the left?"

"Yeah."

"They look like they could make out a shirt."

"You gotta name it too," Tom told her.

"All right. That's 'Star Shirt'," she told him.

"Boring! Okay, okay, look at those ones above it and to the right a little. You see it."

"There are a lot of stars, but sure."

"Well, the really bright ones look like a really wacky shape. That's my constellation."

"And what are you going to call your constellation?"

" 'The Farmer's Market Bargain Bin Constellation'," he told her.

Sable giggled, causing Tom to laugh to. She glanced back up at the stars again, knowing she was going to miss her friend. But for now, she could just be content with the night. Tom wouldn't be leaving for two more weeks. There was still plenty of time to do stuff together.

"I hope you name your shop that," Sable joked.

"Nah. I got to save a nice sophisticated name for my business," Tom told her.

"It's cold," Sable said, clutching her arms. The breeze was beginning to pick up.

"Let's head inside," Tom suggested.

She nodded. They left their constellations behind and headed back into the warm house. Sable felt like she would remember this night for a long time.


	32. Chapter 32

Labelle stood in front of her mirror, adjusting her black suit. Today was the big day. GracieGrace would be opening. She had already read many articles about it in the paper and expected no less than a huge crowd.

Gracie had been in contact with her. Together, they had finished the set-up of the store and had decided what and how much would be sold.

"We can't sell too much," Gracie had warned her.

"But why? There'll be a lot of customers."

"Those who aren't able to buy anything at opening will have to come back the next day, or the day after that. The cycle goes on and on, and we keep selling out!" Gracie exclaimed.

"Well..." Labelle didn't remember her parents' shop ever running that way, but this was the city after all.

They had discussed prices, all of which were soaring high, but Gracie assured her that many would be able to afford the ridiculously high prices.

"Soon, we'll have to figure out our summer collection. You can be of help," Gracie had told her.

Labelle had never been so excited. She was finally getting the attention she deserved. She was Gracie's only assistant and got to work firsthand with the fashion designer. She certainly hoped to be in this position for a while.

Labelle headed to work in the early morning, already finding a line of animals waiting outside the front door. Gracie was already inside, making sure everything looked its best.

"The line is already so long," Labelle said as she set down her things.

"We'll be sold out by noon!" Gracie exclaimed.

"But we don't close until 9:00 pm."

"It'll be perfect!" the giraffe said.

They finished setting up and listened to the chatter coming from outside the door. Labelle felt her heart begin to race. Could she really handle the crowd? She used to help out at the shop sometimes back home, but she was much younger, and the crowds were minimal.

"Pull yourself together, darling. You look a-fright," Gracie noticed.

"Sorry. I'm ready," Labelle promised.

All at once, the doors slid open, and a mad rush of animals launched themselves at any item in front of them. Gracie stood happily in the corner, watching the crowd while animals rushed to Labelle to pay for the goods they had so quickly snatched.

"Just a second!" Labelle said as she worked desperately to work as fast as the incoming stream of customers.

Out of the corner or her eye, she saw two animals wrestling over a nice top. Labelle began to speak up to end the fight, but she was too busy ringing people up.

She watched as Gracie approached the wrestling dog and cat.

"There is a simple way to settle this," she said.

 _Who picked it up first?_ Labelle thought.

"You," she said, pointing to the cat. "That top is ghastly. Why would you ever match it with those shoes? Give it back to her," she said, pointing to the dog.

The cat dejectedly handed over the piece of clothing and exited the store. Labelle stiffened. The world of fashion was a lot more harsh than she had expected it to be.

The line at the register died down, and she realized it was because all of the items had sold. There were animals dragging out furniture or proudly displaying their GracieGrace shopping bags.

The other animals were still wandering around the shop, desperately looking to buy something, even if it was just a headband.

"Attention: GracieGrace has sold out for the day. We will reopen at 9am tomorrow," Labelle announced.

There was an uproar from the remaining customers. Gracie shoved Labelle aside to take the microphone from her.

"Do not fret. I'll have more splendid items for you to all buy tomorrow!" Gracie announced, calming the crowd a bit.

The guests soon exited, the doors were shut, and the shop was empty.

"Now we need to get items out of storage," Gracie said.

"You mean we had more items all along?" Labelle wondered.

"Yes, but we've already discussed our method of selling. The shop needs a lot of attention for opening. We have to leave our customers craving more. Now, come on. Help me move more items up."

Labelle nodded. They spent the remainder of the afternoon preparing the shop for the next day, and finally, Labelle headed home to her apartment, absolutely exhausted.

The next week brought about an insane number of customers. They continued selling out and grabbing goods from storage, which ran Labelle to the ground. But she had to keep it up for Gracie. The last thing she wanted was the giraffe to fire her after all her hard work so far.

Her paycheck came in at the end of the week, and she was astounded. It was much more than she had anticipated, and certainly at least triple that of what Harriet had paid her.

Labelle glanced around her apartment, guessing it would soon be time for a change. With bells like this, she could afford a nice penthouse somewhere else in the city. Of course, she'd have to save up more money, but the thought was no longer impossible for her.

She let out a little squeal of delight. She would live most comfortably in the city with this job. There was no fear that she'd have to return home and face her siblings.

Her face dropped a bit. She wondered how Sable and Mabel were getting on. Looking at the paycheck in front of her, she felt a bit guilty. Were they still starving? Perhaps she should share it with them...or at least write a letter.

Labelle shook her head. It would be too awkward to send a letter now after a couple years. She knew their lives must be improving somehow. After all, Sable had been practicing her sewing. Maybe the shop was back open.

Labelle had worked too hard for her income to just give it away. If her siblings really wanted to see her, they would have traveled to the city by now.

No, she wanted to remain here and keep her share for herself. She was a city girl after all, and she hoped to always remain that way.


	33. Chapter 33

The day Sable had been dreading for two weeks was finally upon her. Tom would be leaving in the morning to follow his dreams in the city, and she'd be alone again. Of course, Mabel would be with her, but she was getting tired of people leaving her.

Tom assured her he'd be back at some point, and he promised he'd write often, which calmed Sable a bit. Whereas she had not heard a word from Label since her departure, she knew Tom would follow through with his promise.

It was early in the morning that the bus would take off. While it was spring, it was still chilly in the morning. Mabel still slept as Sable threw on a coat and headed outside.

A nice fog had set over the town with just the faintest glimpse of sunlight arising. She marched to the bus stop and found Tom already waiting there, a suitcase in hand. Already, she could feel tears forming.

She lurched forward, and he held her in an embrace as she quietly wept.

"Hey, it's okay," Tom said.

Sable pulled away and nodded, trying to pull herself together. "I'm going to miss you," she said.

"I'll miss you, too."

"Thanks for being such a good friend to me. I-I care a lot about you, and I hope you do well in the city. It was so hard after my parents died and my sister...Well, nevermind her. Good luck."

"Thanks, Sable. You mean a lot to me too. I promise I'll write, okay? And you have to come visit sometime."

"I don't know about that," Sable said, blushing a bit.

"Well, you better respond to my letters then."

"When-when do you think you'll be back?" she asked, already awaiting his return even if he hadn't left yet.

Tom shrugged. "I can't say, but I'll let you know in the letters."

Sable nodded, her heart pounding as she heard the sound of tires rolling on the ground. Headlights began to shine through the fog, and she sadly realized that the bus had arrived.

"Looks like my ride is here," Tom said, smiling weakly at her.

She nodded, hearing the brakes squeak as the bus came to a halt. The doors opened, waiting for Tom to enter.

"Please write," she said.

"I will. You'll get a letter in a day, I bet," he said. He took her hand and squeezed it before heading onto the bus.

"Good luck! Have a good trip!" Sable called out.

Tom smiled and waved. She watched as he took a seat, and he waved to her from the window until the bus had completely vanished from her sight. The sun was beginning to break away the fog now, and the birds were beginning to chirp, but Sable felt like it was a cold and rainy day.

The first month was difficult. Tom kept his promise and wrote her no less than three letters a week, but even she still felt broken without him in town. Anytime Pete was standing outside the door, she would let out a squeal of joy and fetch her letter.

It was hard adjusting to everything again. The shop and taking care of Mabel became her main priority, which didn't leave room for much fun. She did her best to take Mabel out as best as she could, but she didn't have Tom to help out anymore or fun activities.

Even Mabel seemed to pick up on Sable's apparent depression.

"Why are you sad, sissy?" she'd ask, tugging on her sister's hem.

"I'm okay," she assured Mabel before making a silly facing that made her younger sister giggle.

She knew she at least had to try for Mabel, but she knew it would also take some time to accept that Tom would not be coming back for a while. He made no mention of returning in his letters, only that he had secured a small job for now and was hoping to start a business soon.

Sometimes she'd read little bits of the letter to Mabel since her younger sister missed his presence too. It was a nice ritual to sit at the couch at night and read through the letters.

"Will sissy send a letter too?" Mabel asked one night after they finished another letter from Tom.

"I'll send one tomorrow," Sable assured her.

"Not you," Mabel replied.

Sable stiffened. She meant Label...Label was spoken of rarely in the house anymore, and sometimes, Sable wondered if Mabel had just forgotten about her.

She knew she couldn't though. There were still family portraits hung on the walls that Sable refused to take down, as well as the fact that Mabel's separate room still stood even though she had taken over Label's bed.

Sable didn't like talking about her other sister, and she certainly didn't want to discuss Label any more with Mabel. if Label hadn't made an effort to reach out to them in years, then there was no point in having hope that she would.

"Label," Mabel said, since Sable was still sitting in silence.

"I know who you're talking about," Sable told her. "I-I don't know, Mabel. Maybe..." Her voice drifted off. She didn't want her sister to face the harsh realities of Label's abandonment, but she didn't want to give Mabel any false hope either.

She put Mabel to bed that night, but Sable's mental state worsened. She was sad about Tom, but thinking about Label put her in a bad mood as well. Sable would be lying if she said she never thought about Label coming home, and even now, it would be nice to have some company again, but then again, Label was often a pain, and she could not forgive her for abandoning them all those years ago.

Sable sat on the couch and wept silently. She missed Tom more than anyone else. Though the letters were frequent, they were not enough to make up for the fact that he was gone. She had no other real friends in town, though everyone was friendly enough. She had Mabel, but the two were so different in age.

Sable clutched her letters close to her, letting tiny tears roll onto the paper. The ink became smudged slightly, but she didn't care. She wanted her best friend back and hoped he was doing well in the city.


	34. Chapter 34

Business was booming more than ever for Labelle in the city. The immediate hype following GracieGrace's opening had now calmed some. No longer were they running out of items every day as many of the rich animals had run off with Gracie's collection long ago.

Labelle was able to calm some. Her paychecks kept coming in, and she planned to save up for a better apartment. She was able to spend her money freely to enjoy better food and better clothes. All seemed to be coming together.

Her work day consisted of helping animals find products, and, of course, encouraging them to buy. Gracie was only there half the time now, focusing on her upcoming collection of the next season in the meantime.

When Labelle wasn't working, she was often by Gracie's side, making suggestions. Gracie would nod and listen, and sometimes, she'd take Labelle's thoughts into account. It made her feel on top of the world.

"Why don't you hire any more employees?" Labelle asked Gracie one day.

"You're the only fashionable one I trust, darling," Gracie told her. "You're handling the position very well. The shop isn't busy enough to need more employees."

Labelle nodded, but she still wondered if the work days would eventually take a toll on her. She worked day and night for her job, but it was also something she loved.

On the days Gracie did come around the shop, sometimes she'd stand in the corner and lecture animals about their fashion choices. There were some times that Labelle winced when she heard the giraffe's harsh words, but she supposed it was bound to happen. After all, the shop was becoming a tourist attraction, and it was clear many couldn't afford what they sold.

Near the end of spring, Labelle headed to work one day. The morning was as usual as ever. A few animals drifted in and out, but not too much. She sold a nice pair of sunglasses, and that was about it. Prior to noon, not many ventured into the shop.

Once it got into afternoon, the store was bustling with excitement. Crowds began to gather, and more purchases were made, but it was nothing like that first week or so of opening.

Labelle was rearranging some clothes after some customers had messed up when she heard a shot in the background.

"Sable!"

Labelle froze and did not turn around. She had not heard that name in years. Was her sister here? All of the sudden, her limbs began to tremble, and she felt frozen in place.

"Sable, what are you doing here?"

The voice was foreign, yet there was no doubt whoever was speaking was clearly speaking her sister's name.

"Where's Mabel?"

Labelle felt her heart pounding now. Whoever was speaking most certainly knew her family. Now her younger sister had joined into the mess.

She nearly jumped as a brown paw touched her shoulder. She spun around and found herself face-to-face with a raccoon. He looked kind of familiar. Perhaps she had passed him at home.

He immediately released his paw, probably realizing that she wasn't Sable.

"I-" he stammered.

"I am not Sable," Labelle said, trying to be as a calm as possible. She had no idea who this raccoon was, but apparently her sister was acquainted with him.

Just one look told her he was from town. He was trying to make an effort with his clothes, but it wasn't working. His friendly demeanor seemed all too country-like. Yes, he was most likely from Animal Village.

"I know. I'm sorry. You looked like..." His voice trailed off, then his eyes widened, as if he were making a realization.

"Wait a second...are you-"

Labelle's heart began to pound again. He must've realized she was the sister that had left years ago. She knew the news probably got around the town quickly. The town was small enough that no bit of gossip was left private.

"I don't know who you are or what you're talking about. I don't know who Sable or Mabel are, and I certainly have no recollection of ever meeting them."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Not too many hedgehogs around here, you know?"

Labelle was not amused. She just glanced at him, wanting him to leave as soon as possible.

"I'm sorry. I won't bother you again." He immediately ducked out of the shop, leaving Labelle to collect her thoughts.

She grasped onto the mannequin she was fixing, her limbs still shaking. Her heart was beginning to slow now, but she had never been so terrified in her life. Whoever that raccoon was, he knew her siblings, which meant they were still in town, still alive, hopefully doing well.

Labelle was so close to being discovered. She wasn't sure what the raccoon would've done if he had found out she was Sable's sister. She was still shaking and still fearful. She didn't know why the whole experience had been so terrifying. Would it have been bad to hear of her family? But she knew they would never forgive them for what she had done. Perhaps it was best that she had lied to Tom.

The whole rest of the day, Labelle was in a state of shock. All her tasks were done half-heartedly, and even Gracie had to remind her to pick up the pace.

When the work day was finally done, Labelle put off working with Gracie and headed back home. As soon as she walked into her apartment, she collapsed on her bed.

Tears began to form in her eyes, and she held herself with her arms. She cried and cried, not even quite sure what she was crying about.

What if Sable and Mabel had been there like she first thought? How would she react? What would she even say?

There was a new fear that they'd come to the city now. It had been a few years, and they had never once contacted her or came to the city, but now...there was the possibility.

Labelle doubted they would greet her with arms open, but she didn't know if they would treat her maliciously either. She did wonder what they were up to now though. Was Mabel getting bigger every day? Had Sable reopened the shop?

Labelle knew the only way was to find out for herself, but she wasn't ready yet. Today's encounter had been terrifying enough, and she guessed it would probably be years before she even considered heading back home for a visit.


	35. Chapter 35

"Letter for Sable!" came a voice outside the shop.

Sable finished ringing up the last customer and bursted outside, finding Pete waiting at her door. He stood with a letter in hand, and she knew immediately who it was from.

"Thanks, Pete," she said, taking the letter from him.

"That Tom sure writes frequently. I've never made so many trips over here before."

"Well, it gives you something to do," Sable teased.

She waved good-bye and headed back inside to read her letter. The shop was nearly closed for the day, and she doubted any customers would be coming back in.

Mabel was napping upstairs, leaving Sable to sit alone in the quiet and read her letter.

 _Sable,_ it read.

 _I hope you're doing well. Not much else has changed here. I still have that job, but Uncle said he'd try to find another job for me real soon. There's been no talk of a big business deal yet, but I'm sure it'll happen soon enough. I can't wait to open my own store. I might have to compete with you to see whose shop is better once mine opens._

 _I did have something I wanted to mention though. I had some time off yesterday to explore the city. Sable, there's so much to see and do! You should really visit sometime. There are a bunch of nice shops and fun places to eat. The way the lamps light up at night is really extraordinary, but I guess nothing can compare to stargazing with you._

 _I'm getting off track. Anyway, I went into this new designer store yesterday called_ GracieGrace. _Everything there was incredibly expensive, and I was going in to kill some time. I thought I saw you...but it wasn't you. I think I may have run into your sister, the one who left for the city?_

 _She was working there and seemed to be the only staff member. I was going to ask if she was your sister, but she quickly assured me that she had no knowledge of you or Mabel. Still, she looked very similar to both of you, and I find it hard to believe that she didn't know you. She seemed to be really bothered with me as soon as I said your name. She had dark purple quills, dark, narrow eyes, and was wearing an array of eyeshadows. I don't know if that description helped at all, but maybe that's her._

 _I just thought I should share this with you. I'll send you another letter this weekend! Don't work too hard._

 _Tom_

Sable's hands began to shake. Tom's description was not extensive, but enough to make her realize that it was Label he had run into.

She took a few deep breaths. For one, she knew her sister was safe, and apparently living in luxury if she were working for a store like that. There was a bit of relief on Sable's part, but also anger. Why hadn't she reached out to them, then if she were living that way?

"Hm...she got her dream, I guess," Sable muttered.

It bothered her to know that Label had lied about her connection to them. Had she just disowned them forever? Sable knew Label was unhappy when she left, but Label had not once expressed her disdain for the family, only the way they were living.

 _Dear Tom,_

 _I must admit, I was a bit shocked by the first letter you sent me. I can guarantee you that was my sister you saw. Why she lied about knowing us, I don't know, but at least I have a better understanding of where she is and what she's up to in the city now._

 _Tom, please don't try to speak to her. I'd rather you stay away from her. Clearly we are not on speaking terms, and I don't know if we will be. I don't like to bring her up in front of Mabel, and I think it's best this encounter just dies out. I never really talked about Label to you, but we had a falling out when she left._

 _As for visiting you in the city, you know I'd love to, but I have to run the shop. Now that you mention my sister is really there, I wouldn't really want to run into her. Maybe one day though. Good luck in your city adventures._

 _With love,_

 _Sable._

Mabel took big steps down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. Sable glanced up and grinned at her.

"Are you up?" she asked.

Mabel nodded.

"Why don't we visit the museum?" Sable suggested. The museum had opened up early in the spring, and they hadn't had a chance to visit yet. Mabel nodded eagerly and they headed out.

Sable slipped the letter into the mailbox along the way until they came to a large, white building with large columns and a slanted roof.

"Wow," Mabel said, glancing at it.

"Let's go see what's inside," Sable encouraged her.

They stepped inside, finding a brown owl with a small green bowtie waiting to meet them.

"Welcome to the museum."

"What do you have here to see?" Sable asked.

The owl's eyes widened. "Ah...well...the museum is a collection of fossils, bugs, art, and fish, but...we don't have it filled yet. There isn't too much to see."

"Oh," Sable replied, upset that she was going to let Mabel down.

"But it is stargazing hours. If you head up those stairs, my sister Celeste will happily show you the observatory."

"Let's do that," Sable said. She grabbed Mabel's hands and led her younger sister upstairs into a small room with a giant telescope. A pink owl with the cutest bow stood, looking happy to see them.

"Hello, are you here to stargaze or make a constellation?"

"We're here to stargaze," Sable told her.

"Well, step on up."

Sable motioned Mabel forward, and the small hedgehog put her eye to the telescope. Celeste moved the large object for her, and Mabel gasped in amazement as she moved it around.

"Pretty neat, huh?" Celeste asked.

Mabel nodded.

"Would you like a look?" Celeste asked Sable.

She nodded and pressed her eye to the telescope now. She began moving it around while Celeste began lecturing Mabel on the stars. As Sable glanced around, she thought of that night she and Tom had stargazed on the roof.

Her eyes fell to the clump of stars that she had named as "Star Shirt." She grinned a bit, then turned the telescope slightly, falling on the constellation Tom had made up for himself.

She didn't know why, but tears came to her eyes. Tom had been gone a while now, but she still missed him every day. She pulled away as Celeste finished her speech.

"Are-are you crying?" Celeste asked.

Sable wiped her tears away. "I'm fine."

"Ah, nature can inspire raw emotion. I understand that," Celeste whispered.

Sable nodded and grinned, though of course that wasn't the real reason she was crying. She realized it would be a while until she had completely accepted the fact that Tom was in the city, but at least that night of stargazing would always remain in her memory.


	36. Chapter 36

Labelle was still recovering from her encounter with the strange raccoon. She had not been herself at work for a good week after that. It was still frightening to her how close she had come to being discovered.

Gracie had picked up on Labelle's change in attitude and gave her a talking one day.

"What's bothering you?" she asked Labelle, almost too seriously.

"Nothing," Labelle replied.

"Your outfit has not been spot on in a week, and you lack that enthusiasm talking to customers. This is your dream, isn't it? Fashion is what you're passionate about!"

"Yes, it is, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know. I've been having family issues," Labelle muttered. "I don't think they approve of it."

Gracie let out a loud laugh. "I haven't spoken to my family in years and look at me. You don't want to be held back from your dreams."

"No, I guess not."

"I named you Labelle, and that's who you are! Now get out there!" Gracie exclaimed.

Labelle nodded, and her week seemed to become infinitely better after that. Slowly the last thoughts from her family began to drift from her mind, and she got back into work mode. She became excited returning to work, she was more enthusiastic as she helped Gracie plan a new line of clothing, and she just...felt better.

Knowing that her family was doing well, at least, seemed to calm her a bit too. She had not seen the raccoon since he had entered that day, and she didn't believe he'd be returning anytime soon. He clearly didn't have the bells to afford anything in the shop, and she had hoped she'd scared him off enough that he wouldn't return.

On a day off, Labelle decided to stroll around the city. She seemed to have little time for herself anymore, but she also liked being kept busy. It was getting into the summer months now, when the city was packed and the air was hot and she could make out the faintest chirping of cicadas. They weren't as loud as back home, but they were still there all the same.

As she walked, she passed by Shampoodle and Katrina's shop, and she felt guilt build inside her a bit. She had not spoken to Harriet since that day she had stormed out, upset over being fired. It was like a big ball of guilt had built in her stomach from all her past encounters.

But today...maybe she would set one thing right.

Her hands began to tremble and her heart began to pound fast, but she knew Harriet wouldn't hold it against her. It had been six months or so since being fired, and she was doing fine. Better than fine.

Labelle uneasily approached the shop and opened the door. She grinned a bit hearing that familiar bell go off. Even if she was much more satisfied with her job now, she had worked here a couple years, and she would forever be grateful to Harriet for all her kindness.

"Hi, welcome to Shampoodle. How can I help?" Harriet asked. She was turned away from Labelle, placing some scissors back on a tray. Harriet glanced up, her eyes widening.

"Hi," Labelle squeaked.

"Label, is that you?! I hardly recognized you!" the pink poodle exclaimed.

Labelle giggled a bit. "I go by Labelle now, actually."

"Labelle, huh? Sounds fancy. Why the name change?"

Labelle shrugged and stood there awkwardly.

"Are you here for a cut?" Harriet asked.

"I just wanted to stop by and say 'hi' actually," Labelle said.

"I hope you're not still mad at me."

Labelle shook her head. "I'm sorry for how I acted toward you. I know you had to let me go. I was just worried things wouldn't work out."

"It looks like they have. How expensive are those clothes you're wearing? Is that the GracieGrace brand?"

"I work there," Labelle told her. "I work right alongside Gracie."

"My goodness!" Harriet gasped. "I bet she's paying you more than I ever did."

Labelle laughed. "Yes, but, I appreciated you paying me too. I would have had to go home if you hadn't given me that job."

Harriet grinned. "Well, things have died down here. I still get customers, but there's no way I would've still been able to afford paying you."

"How's Katrina?" Labelle asked.

"She doesn't bother me, but I also spend most of my time avoiding her."

Labelle giggled. It was nice to reminisce. She had been so frightened when she had first come to the city, but it seemed like things were finally working out for the better.

"So what compelled you to come today, of all days? I honestly had thought you'd left town," Harriet said.

"It just felt right," Labelle explained. _Really, I'm dying of guilt in all aspects of my life and this relieves it a bit._

"Have you gotten a nice place?" Harriet asked.

"Saving up for one."

"Well, I'm glad you got in on the fashion business after all. And so quick too!" Harriet exclaimed. "You look so much different from when I first hired you."

"Well, I've been here two and a half years now. I guess I didn't even think I'd last one," Labelle told her. "Is your shop doing well though, even with less business?"

"Oh, yes. I still get the regulars. It's enough. Would like to make a little more, but what can you do? That GracieGrace is taking all the business," she teased.

"I don't think half the animals that visit even buy anything," Labelle told her. "But I do like working there. It's a good fit for me."

"I'm glad," Harriet said. The door opened, and a customer entered. It seemed like their conversation was ready to come to an end.

"Well, it was nice seeing you, Harriet."

"You too, _Labelle,"_ she said.

Labelle stepped out, feeling a bit of a burden released from her. She had been too scared to walk by Shampoodle for months, but now, all felt right again. Still, there would forever be that nagging in her head of the inevitable reunion with her family.


	37. Chapter 37

Summer came and went, and soon, it was the beginning of October. The trees had begun to change color, and the air got cold. And for Sable, it had been over six months since Tom had left.

His letters were still frequent. She got a couple a week. And she was content with that. The sadness had faded some, but she still wished he was here with her. He had not yet secured the business of his dreams, but he wrote with a bunch of optimism that it had to happen soon.

Sable tried to remain positive though. She grew excited for all the fall and winter activities. Her and Tom's constellations would become visible beginning in January, as Celeste had told her.

But with the new year in only a few short months, Sable would be sad to know that she'd be starting a new year without Tom. Her new year was always plagued with negative thoughts regarding Label, but now, Tom seemed to have taken a place in that too.

But it was only October, and Tom had even mentioned that he might try to slip back home for a quick trip for Toy Day. She grew happy when she read that, but she wasn't so sure it would happen. She knew how much the city meant to him, and a trip back home might deter him from following his dreams.

Sable still had Mabel though to keep her company. Her younger sister continued to bring her endless amounts of joy. The shop was doing well, and all was quiet and peaceful.

Sable should've been happy that everything was going so well, but she always felt like she had a sister-shaped hole and friend-shaped hole missing from her life.

Sable closed down the shop one Saturday night. It was late and cold, and she mostly wanted to go to bed, but she had promised Mabel she'd take her down to The Roost in the museum.

They had made frequent visits to the museum since its opening, and the coffee shop as well. Mabel seemed to get along very well with Brewster, the barista. He apparently had a failed business in the city and found a coffee shop in town worked much better.

"Ready to go?" Sable asked her younger sister, zipping up her coat for her.

She nodded and grabbed Sable's hand. They began the trek down to the museum with Mabel blabbering the whole way about how excited she was for a cup of hot cocoa from Brewster.

Sable grinned and listened to her speak. Her sister seemed so oblivious to all the negative things that had happened to her. Sable wished she still had the mind of a child. It would be nice to forget about all her troubles in life.

They stepped inside the warm museum and headed down to The Roost. The smell of coffee drifted in the air, and there was a quiet chatter among the few villagers there.

A white dog with a guitar sat on a stool, playing little tunes. Sable had thought she'd heard of him before. There was supposedly live music here on certain nights, but she'd never gone at the right time to see it.

"Two hot chocolates," she told Brewster.

"Brewster, Sable let me sew today!" Mabel exclaimed to him.

"Did she?" he asked as he whipped up the sweet concoction.

Mabel nodded.

"Soon, I can help work around the shop a lot!" she exclaimed.

Sable laughed and nodded. Her sister was six and a half years old. She was becoming more easier to talk to, and more intelligent. Sable looked forward to when Mabel could work just as well alongside her, but it would be many more years before that.

"I'll have to visit," Brewster said. He set two piping hot cups of hot chocolate with a mountain of whipped cream in front of them.

"Careful, it's hot," Sable warned before handing the cup to Mabel. Her younger sister took a long, slow slip and hummed in delight.

"Who's that performing?" Sable asked Brewster.

"K.K. Slider? He's here every Saturday. He likes to give out copies of his songs sometimes too. If you ask, he'll play you something."

"You want to hear a song?" Sable asked Mabel.

The other villagers had cleared out now, leaving just Sable and Mabel alone in the coffee shop. Mabel nodded and grabbed a seat near K.K.

"You looking for a song tonight?" he asked.

Sable nodded.

"You got any requests?" he asked.

"No," Sable told him, a bit embarrassed that she'd never heard him play before and didn't know any of his songs for that reason.

"Well, why don't you tell me your mood?"

"I-I don't really know if I'm feeling anything-"

K.K. paused and focused on her. "I got it. I can tell by the way your eyes sparkle."

"What?" Sable asked.

"Sit back and relax. Here's a little song for my lovesick friend-say what's your name?"

"Sable"

"Sable. It's called K.K. Love Song."

"Hey, what? I'm not-how could you even tell that-" But her words were drowned out by K.K. beginning to sing. A quiet, peaceful sort of song began to play out. K.K. plucked at the strings and began to whistle.

Sable leaned back a bit. She really did like his song. She had never heard him sing before, and she was a bit upset she hadn't come to watch some of his performances earlier.

Despite her embarrassment that K.K. could clearly see what she was feeling, she fell herself growing deeper into the song. Memories flooded through her brain, and she thought of the letter she had received from Tom only that morning. She hadn't been expecting a letter today, and just the thought that he had taken the time to write her made her grin.

K.K.'s song began to slow now, right as the faintest bit of tears began to gleam in Sable's eyes. Slowly, his song came to an end.

"Yay!" Mabel exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"Thanks. That was...pretty amazing," Sable told him, trying to hide the choking sound in her throat.

"Here, take a copy of it," he said. He rummaged through a box of CDs and handed her the exact same song he'd sung.

"How much?" she asked.

"Not a bell. I'm not in it for the money. I just like to play. Give it a spin on your stereo," he told her.

"Thanks," Sable replied, clutching onto the CD.

Their hot chocolates were close to empty, and it was getting late. She said good-bye to both Brewster and K.K. before slipping back out into the cold night with her sister.

"Did you like that? We should go again sometime," Sable told Mabel.

Mabel nodded. "Only if we get hot chocolate though."

Sable laughed. "All right. Deal."


	38. Chapter 38

Fall flew by quickly for Labelle. She and Gracie were hard at work selling their newest collection while preparing the debut of their winter collection in a few weeks. Before Labelle knew it, it was mid-November.

She headed to work one morning in a particular good mood. The air was cool and crisp and multi-colored leaves drifted down and covered the sidewalk.

Labelle always felt lonely around this time as the holidays approached, but she didn't want those feelings to affect her today. She merely wanted a nice day at work before heading back to her apartment.

She had all her money saved up for a nice new apartment and planned to buy a new one in the new year. Only a few more weeks and she could kiss her old, small apartment behind for one that was bigger and more luxurious.

The morning went well. She whistled and hummed and helped customers as they needed to be helped. After her lunch break, she was feeling particularly energized.

As she helped out a customer with a sale, she returned to her desk and glanced up, her heart nearly stopping. The same raccoon that had ruined her day months before had returned, and he was making leeway straight toward her.

She stiffened and glanced down at her sheet of paper, scribbling nonsense all over it. Her heart began to pound and her claws began to tremble. Had he found out who she really was? What did he want from her? Were her sisters here visiting?

The sound of a cough forced Labelle to glance up. He was standing right at her desk, glancing at her.

"I-I..." Labelle didn't know what to say. She couldn't just throw him out of the store. Why had he singled her out to begin with?

"I have a feeling you recognized me. Your head shot down real fast once you saw me," he teased.

Labelle only glared at him.

"Sorry. Sorry. Do you remember me though?"

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth.

"Sorry about our last...um...meeting. I didn't mean to make you upset. I was just a little confused, that's all."

Labelle nodded. He was not bringing up Sable or Mabel, so perhaps he really didn't know the truth. Then why was he here?

"How can I help you?" she asked, relaxing a bit.

"I have a friend back home. Her birthday is coming up. She loves to sew, and I was hoping to get her a pair of sewing scissors. Do you sell them?" he asked.

Labelle froze. He was no doubt talking about Sable. Her sister's birthday was in a week. She knew that, of course. And she knew no one else who loved to sew as much as Sable.

"I-I don't know.." Labelle's voice trailed off. She was getting that feeling again where guilt built up inside her. She was beginning to shut down, as she normally did when the subject of her family was brought up.

"What's the trouble, darling?"

Labelle glanced up to find Gracie leaning against the counter. Labelle sighed in relief.

"I was looking to purchase some sewing scissors," the raccoon told her.

"Sewing scissors? What for?"

"My friend. It's her birthday. I know she'd like them, and this seems like a fashionable shop," the raccoon explained.

Gracie eyed him from head to toe. "I'm not sure you understand the term 'fashionable.'"

"Um...so do you have anything?" the raccoon wondered.

"We might-"

"Labelle," Gracie cut her off. "Can we, um, talk in private for a second?"

"Sure..." she said. She glanced at the raccoon. "Just a minute."

Gracie went behind the desk and pulled Labelle to the side.

"Are we really going to listen to him? We both know his fashion senses are horrid. This is a store for fashion, not a little convenience store. What an innocent story to make up to," Gracie sneered, making quick glances at the raccoon.

"I don't think-"

"You know, sir," Gracie said, addressing the raccoon. "We sell high quality items here. Everything we sell is a finished and complete product. Why you would assume-"

"So you don't have any?" he asked, beginning to look rather dejected.

"Negative," Gracie said.

He sighed and turned, but Labelle called out. "Wait!"

"What are you doing?" Gracie asked.

"What's the point of turning a customer away? You'll get bells after all," Labelle muttered.

"But we sell nothing of the sort."

"We have plenty of fine scissors sitting back there. Charge extra if you must," Labelle told her.

"I don't like making deals like this," Gracie complained.

"As a favor to me, would you? You know how much hard work I put in for this company."

Gracie eyed Labelle. "I suppose you are a valuable employee. How this situation relates to you, I don't know. But if you insist." She glanced back up at the raccoon. "This is a one time deal, you hear? Don't go around to your friends."

"Oh, thank you!" he exclaimed.

"I'll leave you to finish, Labelle. Go grab him his purchase," Gracie muttered, clearly feeling defeated.

Labelle grinned and went in the back. They had a multitude of high-end sewing scissors sitting in a box. She scrambled through, thinking the joy Sable would feel when she got her gift.

"Her favorite color is orange. I've got to-" She paused, her eyes falling on a single pair of orange scissors. She pulled them out happily and returned to the desk where the raccoon was waiting.

"Oh, these look great!" he exclaimed. "How much?"

"These are very fine scissors. 1000 bells."

His face dropped. "1000? Can't you put them at a lower price?"

Labelle frowned. She really did want him to get his gift. She sighed.

"Look, how about you pay 500 and I pay the other 500?"

"What? I can't do that!" he exclaimed.

"It's fine," she said, fishing bells out of her wallet. "Gracie won't know, and she gets her bells just fine. I...really want you to have it."

"All right. A deal is a deal." He paid the 500 bells and happily grabbed his purchase from Labelle.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll love them. Thank you very much," he said.

Labelle nodded and grinned. She couldn't wait to see her sister's face when...She paused.

 _No, Labelle. You won't be there. You're not seeing Sable anytime soon._

She paused and shook her head. That was right. She had no connection to her family anymore, and it was wrong to think that she would in the near future. She let out a sigh of exasperation. She hoped her sister enjoyed the gift, even if she never got to her reaction.

Besides, it wasn't like Sable would ever know where the scissors were purchased from or who chose the color. She would be getting a gift from her friend, the raccoon, and that was simple as that.

Labelle sighed one last time and got back to work. It was time to return to reality. She told herself that this instance would soon be forgotten. She had no desire to return home anytime soon.


	39. Chapter 39

Sable's birthday was a cold November day. All color had faded from the leaves and the earth had turned a deep brown as it awaited to be coated with fresh snow.

It was also Sable's first birthday without Tom. She, of course, had many before that, but it was just her and Mabel celebrating today. She hadn't even closed the shop today since there wasn't much cause for celebration.

She woke up before Mabel, as that normally happened, and fixed herself some tea. She glanced out the window, looking at the gray clouds that were blown in the wind.

She wasn't used to having sunny birthdays. November 22nd was either cloudy or raining. Maybe there had been a sunny birthday thrown in there at one time, but not prior to her parents' death.

Mabel stepped into the living room rubbing her tired eyes.

"Aw, no! You're up before me! I wanted to make you breakfast!" she complained.

"I haven't eaten yet," Sable assured her. "What are you going to make me?"

"It's a secret," Mabel said.

Sable turned her back, as instructed, and listened to Mabel move things in the cupboards. She sipped her tea, smiling a bit, wondering what her sister would have in store for her.

"Okay! Here it is!" Mabel said, placing something down on the table.

Sable turned around to see a bowl of cereal and milk with some multicolored sprinkles on top. Sable laughed and smiled at Mabel.

"Thanks. I love it," she said.

"I drew you a lot of pictures too," Mabel said, running to her room. She came back with a stack of random drawings. "It can be your card."

"Thanks," Sable said. Mabel still continued to make her day, though Sable sometimes wished she'd get a present or two.

"Let's go open up shop," Sable said. "Maybe we can go to The Roost tonight."

"Yeah!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable grinned and opened up shop. _Today's my birthday,_ she thought. _And no one will know when they walk in._

She sighed. She wasn't sure why this birthday was harder than others. She'd had plenty of birthdays where she'd done nothing. And Mabel was doing her best to make her happy. That had to count for something.

As expected, customers came in and bought clothing, unaware of Sable's special day. But perhaps it was better. She wasn't one for attention any way.

At one point, Tortimer stumbled in and happily greeted Sable.

"Happy, happy birthday!" he said.

Sable grinned. "Thanks."

"And look what I have," he said, removing his hand from behind his back. There was a pretty slice of cake all boxed up, ready for her to enjoy.

"Sorry. I know it isn't a big and it doesn't come with candles," he said. "But I hope you like strawberry!"

Sable smiled. "Thanks, Tortimer. I really appreciate it. I'll have to eat it later."

"Did you bring cake for me?" Mabel asked.

Tortimer chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid not. It's your sister's birthday though. She should eat all the cake she wants today."

Sable grinned and watched as he left. The day was pretty slow, and Sable ended up closing a few hours early so she and Mabel could have a little fun of their own.

The sky darkened quickly, and they were just about ready to head to the Museum when a knock came at the front door. She opened it to find Pete with a parcel in hand.

"Delivery for Miss Sable!" he announced.

"Thanks, Pete," she replied, grabbing it from him. One quick glance at the name tag and she realized it was from Tom. She grinned to herself a little. She feared he had forgotten her, even though he had acknowledged in his letter that week that her birthday was coming up.

"Let's go!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable wanted to open the present, but she knew Mabel was ready to leave. She set it down on her sewing table and headed out with Mabel.

The night was as relaxed as Sable assumed it would be. They both sipped on hot chocolate and looked at the stars from the observatory. They were only there about an hour and a half before heading home.

Mabel was tired, as she'd had an exciting day. Sable wished hers had been more exciting. She put her sister to bed and retrieved her package from Tom downstairs.

 _What a day,_ she thought, sitting alone at the kitchen table and eating the piece of cake Tortimer had brought her.

There was a tiny note from Tom attached to the package:

 _Sable,_

 _Happy Birthday! Sorry I can't be there with you. I think you'll really like this gift._

 _Tom_

Short and sweet. Maybe Sable had been expecting a bit more, but perhaps his gift said it all. She tore the packaging away to reveal a beautiful cedar box.

"How much money did he spend on this?" she asked, lifting it up. It was only when it rattled a bit that she realized there was something inside.

She shrugged and opened up the lid. Inside were a beautiful pair of orange sewing scissors. Her mouth dropped. The scissors she had been using had probably been used by her parents for years. They were worn but got the job done.

These...were something else.

 _It must have cost him a fortune,_ she thought. She carefully lifted the scissors out of the box and watched as they gleamed under the light. The mediocre strawberry cake she was eating was pushed aside, and she stood holding the scissors, admiring their beauty.

He really did know her well. She hadn't really wanted anything for her birthday, but these were lovely. She wondered where he had gotten them from. And how did he know orange was her favorite color? It must have come up in conversation sometime.

She set them back down in the box as tears filled her eyes. She glanced out the window once more. The night sky was too cloudy to really see any stars, but she felt they were out there shining, somehow.

She wept quietly to herself, trying not to be too loud to wake Mabel. Her birthday was not the best birthday she had ever had. In fact, it was one of the most lonely birthdays she had ever had.

But Tom's gift meant something dear to her. She could not wait to write him and tell him how much she loved the gift. She just hoped he hadn't spent too many bells on her.

Life had not been easy for her lately. Or since her parents died, she guessed. She glanced down at the orange pair of scissors and grinned through the tears.

Things would eventually get better. She would have many more fun birthdays. She just had to believe that.


	40. Chapter 40

Two years seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. Labelle was now in her early twenties and conquering the world. She had been able to afford a nice penthouse in the city that was a short distance from the store. Gracie had increased her pay, and Labelle worked long and hard with Gracie to design. The giraffe had even let her sell a few items of her own.

In her free time, Labelle liked design and create her own items. Her creativity was sparking now more than ever. She couldn't believe how a few years ago she had been down in the dumps, unable to draw up a single clothing item, and now, her dreams had finally come true.

Whatever mere thoughts she'd had of Sable and Mabel a few years ago had passed. She had not seen the raccoon since, even if she did think of him from time to time. Her sisters had made no effort to contact her, and she certainly wasn't going to be the one to start the contact.

Out here, on her own, she was thriving. She seemed to have everything she wanted in life-a nice place to live, an exciting city life, her dream job. She couldn't imagine what it would've been like if she stayed in Animal Village.

It was summer now in the city. The sky was nearly always clear, the weather was hot, and she could hear the faint chirping of cicadas wherever she went.

She realized, for a second, that Mabel's birthday must have come and passed only a month before in May? How old would she be now? 8?

Either way, it didn't matter. Labelle reminded herself that she had resolved not to think about her family or her home. She had created this life for herself in the city, and she was going to enjoy it.

As she headed into work, Phineas was out front with his cart of balloons and goodies.

"A pinwheel for you, miss Labelle?" he asked.

"I don't really have ti-"

"Nonsense!" the sea lion exclaimed, handing her a multi-colored pinwheel. She shoved it into her bag and thanked him before quickly heading into work.

"Sorry I'm late," she told Gracie.

The giraffe was sitting at the desk. Her eyes glanced up at the clock, and then back at Labelle.

"What? By a minute?"

Labelle took a lot of pride in her work, and that often meant showing up to work early. She never had the impression that Gracie would fire her, but she wanted to make sure there was never an opportunity for that.

Of course Labelle had plenty of bells saved now if the situation ever came, but she loved her job, and she didn't want to lose it after she had already contributed so much to the store.

"So for tomorrow, I was thinking you could look at my sketches some more," Labelle told Gracie.

Gracie glanced at her. "We're not open tomorrow."

"Yes we are," Labelle told her.

"I am requesting you take a mandatory day off."

"But I can work!" Labelle urged.

"Yes, but I can't. Sometimes I need a break every once in a while. You have the day to yourself, you can go and do something fun."

"Something...fun?" Labelle questioned.

"There's a lot to do, you know. You live in an exciting place, after all."

"But what would I..."

"Don't you have any friends to hang out?" Gracie asked.

"Um..." Labelle paused. She sometimes ran into Harriet every now and again, and Phineas knew her name. Perhaps if she ran into Dr. Shrunk, he would still know her...

"Hmph," Gracie said, placing whatever documents she was looking at away. "Sometimes I think you're too caught up in your job."

"Well, you're my friend, aren't you?"

"Accomplice," Gracie told her.

"Well, why don't we hang out tomorrow?" Labelle suggested. She had to admit, as soon as she said the words, she realized how stupid it sounded. Hanging out with her boss? Sure, Labelle was pretty close to Gracie, but the giraffe still intimidated Labelle. She stood nearly two feet taller than her.

Gracie laughed. "I'm taking the day off for rest and relaxation. You do something fun, okay?"

"Something fun? Okay," Labelle agreed.

"Something fun," Labelle muttered, sitting in her apartment. The sky was clear, the day was warm, but Labelle had absolutely no idea what to do.

She could go see Dr. Shrunk-but would that be too awkward? Or maybe she could get a little makeover from Harriet. Maybe even getting a fortune from Katrina would be more fun than sitting indoors.

None of those options seemed really fun to Labelle, but she had to get out of the apartment somehow. She grabbed her things and headed out into the sun.

The city was packed as it normally would be on a warm summer day. Labelle wandered around, but there wasn't much to see. She could always check out that new shop run by that fox-whatever it was called. But that didn't seem very fun either.

She lingered around outside for a good hour before gravitating toward GracieGrace. With a spare key, she slipped inside and headed into the back. She could maybe work on some designs or organize. That was fun...wasn't it?

She ended up finding a box of ribbons in the back and sorting them all by color. It was too hot outside anyway. At least it was nice and cool in here and she was doing something productive.

She heard the door open and continued working before she heard a startled screech. She turned around to see Gracie, who had apparently nearly had a heart attack over her presence.

"Hey!" Labelle said, raising her claw up in a wave with the ribbon still in her hand.

"What...are...you...doing...here?" Gracie growled.

"Having fun!"

"By organizing?" Gracie asked.

"Well...I couldn't really think of anything..."

Gracie snatched the box of ribbons from her claws.

"You go home right now, you hear? I thought someone broke in when I saw you. This is your day _off_."

"Yeah, but..."

"GO!" Gracie shouted.

Labelle sighed and dejectedly left the shop. It was true she had never done anything too fun in the city, but she did enjoy work. Why couldn't Gracie understand that?

"I propose a nice day sitting at home and sketching," she told herself as she began to walk in the direction of her apartment.


	41. Chapter 41

The bedroom was hot. Sable was awoken by the loud chirping of cicadas and the hot heat that filled the room. Sweat dripped down her body as she woke up.

She opened her eyes, finding Mabel had already left. Sable smiled a bit. Her sister was now eight years old, and even able to make breakfast on her own some days.

Sable groaned and got out of bed, shutting the window. It was only morning, yet outside it was already burning. She stepped outside to find Mabel sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Morning," she told Sable.

"Morning," Sable muttered, pouring herself a cold glass of water.

"It's so hot today," Mabel complained.

"Tell me about it," Sable replied, taking a seat. "Why don't we go down to the beach if we have time?"

"Yes!" Mabel exclaimed. "I can wear that new swimsuit you just made for me."

"Yeah," Sable replied. Her sister's positivity did not seem to dampen with age. Sure, Mabel was able to think for herself more and more, but she never seemed to be wrought with negativity.

"Oh, Pete stopped by earlier," Mabel said.

"How late did I sleep?!" Sable realized. She glanced quickly at the clock and then sighed in relief, seeing that opening wasn't for another hour.

Mabel giggled. "You're fine."

"What...what did he bring?" Sable asked.

"Some packages over there," Mabel said, pointing to the boxes on the counter.

Sable lingered over to the boxes. They were mostly just supplies she had ordered, but she scanned for a paper letter somewhere among them.

"He...didn't bring by a letter, did he?" she asked.

Mabel shook her head.

Sable let out a sigh and sat back down.

"He'll send a letter soon," Mabel promised, but even Sable could detect the uncertainty of her voice.

Tom had been gone for two whole years. It was hard for Sable to even believe. Not once had he returned, and not once had she visited the city.

She wasn't sure where their relationship stood at this point. Like he had promised, the letters were frequent when he first left-a couple of week.

But as the months and seasons went by, they kept dwindling down to once a week, once every two weeks, once a month. She was lucky to get a letter once a month.

Sable had sent the same amount at first, usually a letter a week. But now, she only sent monthly letters since he didn't seem to bother to reply half the time anymore. She told him all about Animal Village and how everyone was getting along and always included an "I miss you" at the end.

His letters were vague and ambiguous. He never seemed to spill any new details, only that he was working hard to start his business, his family was well, and he was well.

She knew he had not started a business yet, and she figured he was struggling a bit, yet he'd never outright say it. Her concern for him had almost motivated her to visit the city, but her fear of running into Label usually stopped her.

Mabel had seemed to finally go mute over Label. She obviously understood her parents' deaths a lot better, and she'd sometimes ask Sable for stories about them since she was too small to remember a lot. But it was almost an unspoken rule between them that Label was not to be discussed.

She was sure that even Mabel was still confused about why Label had taken off in the first place, but her younger sister never asked about it. Sable was content just speaking about their parents for now.

Besides Sable's growing business and her growing sister, there wasn't too much going on. Nothing exciting had really happened in town besides the usual holidays, but she was content with that.

It was summer right now, and she liked listening to the bugs chirp at night and going swimming and sewing new summer clothes. She was content, as she normally was. Too much excitement would stress her out too much.

At 10am the shop opened and Sable went to work. Mabel was now working more alongside her sister. She was still learning basic sewing patterns, but she would help customers out as best as she could. Sable wondered what it would be like when Mabel was as skilled as her.

When the shop closed for the day, Sable kept her promise about swimming. The sun was still bright in the evening, and the air was still hot.

Both of the girls got on their swimsuits, grabbed their towels, and headed down to the beach. She remembered the summer days she and Tom would spend together down at the beach with Mabel splashing in the waves. She silently wished those days would come back.

"Let's go!" Mabel called, rushing into the waves.

Sable was distracted from her train of thought and nodded, leaving the towels spread out on the beach. She stepped in, surprised by the cold water, until the water became cool and relaxing.

"Feels good, huh?" Sable asked.

Mabel nodded, splashing around in the waves. They only stayed in the water for a little bit until it became too cold for both of them. Then, Mabel began building a sandcastle on the shore while Sable sat on her beach towel, looking over more possible sewing patterns.

"Look, sissy!" Mabel exclaimed, revealing a large sand castle, complete with its own sand towers as well.

"Aren't you getting too old to call me that?" Sable called.

Mabel giggled and shook her head, continuing her work. Sable grinned and continued thinking of what sewing designs she would work on when she went home. She glanced over at Mabel, missing her innocent childhood days.

She shoved her sewing book aside and got down in the sand with Mabel.

"Can I help out?" she asked.

Mabel nodded.

"You can find seashells," she told Sable.

Sable nodded and ran around in the sand, picking up various seashells that were buried deeply into the sand. She grinned to herself. What kind of eighteen-year-old ran around collecting seashells like this?

She shook her head and brought her shells to Mabel, who added them onto her sand castle as decoration.

"Great job," Sable told her.

"I think I do a better job at sewing," Mabel told her.

Sable laughed and nodded. The sun was beginning to set now, and both of their stomachs were growling.

"Ready to go home?" Sable asked.

Mabel nodded and clutched onto Sable's hand. Mabel had stopped holding her hand a year ago, so Sable was a bit surprised by this action, but she gladly squeezed Mabel's hand in return as they began walking home.


	42. Chapter 42

Labelle twirled around in a new summer dress. It was white with multi-colored flowers embroidered in the design. She had spent a good week working on it and was excited to wear it around the city today before she had to change for work.

The days were still hot, and summer was nowhere near over, but sometimes she longed for cold fall days again. It reminded that a new fashion collection would debut, that her birthday was coming up. But then she was also reminded that it was the season in which her parents had died and that one fall all those years ago still haunted her mind.

But today was bright and beautiful, and she had a few hours to kill before going to work. She decided to make a pit stop at Shampoodle along the way to bring Harriet some lunch.

Though she did not see Harriet too often, Labelle liked to connect with her from time to time and check up on the business. She felt a bit guilty that GracieGrace had better business than Harriet's shop, but it looked like all was still well.

She stepped through the door of Shampoodle with a plastic bag full of sandwiches. Harriet was finishing up one of her customers, but she glanced up at Labelle and smiled.

"There you go," Harriet said to a cat who had just finished getting a haircut.

The customer was gone in a few minutes, and Harriet put a temporarily closed sign up on her door so they could enjoy lunch together.

"Here you are," Labelle said, handing Harriet her sandwich.

"Thanks. I'm famished!" the poodle replied.

Labelle grinned and bit into her lunch.

"How are things going at GracieGrace?" Harriet asked.

"We're working on our fall collection right now, but sales are good."

"I'm sure they always are."

Labelle shrugged, even though Harriet was right. Near the end of the season sales began to dip, but then they'd have a big blowout sale and sales were up again.

"How is it designing clothes with Gracie? I feel like she'd be a pain," Harriet joked.

"I mean, a bit," Labelle replied. Labelle felt like she was able to stand all those annoying animals well though. After all, she'd helped Katrina fairly frequently when working for Harriet.

"But I like it a lot," Labelle told Harriet. "I'm living comfortably, I get to help with the designs. I mean, I even just finished this dress today," she said.

"Ooh, I like it," Harriet told her. "Why don't they sell anything like that at the store?"

"Oh, it's not fancy enough. I suppose it'd be too affordable," Labelle told her.

"Hmph. Gracie and her need for large prices. I would buy something like that off of you. Would you sell?"

"Oh, I don't know," Labelle replied. "I-I wasn't planning to start my own business or anything. I just do it for fun..." Her mind suddenly drifted to Sable. Labelle could have easily done something like that at home back at the tailor shop. But how big of profits was Sable even making anyway? Sure, Labelle didn't get to sell what she made, but she liked making clothing for fun, and she still got some say in what she and Gracie designed.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'd pay you for an outfit, or an accessory at least," Harriet told her.

Labelle nodded. "Thanks," she said. "And you know I'd get a haircut, but-"

Harriet laughed. "Yes, I know. The quills."

A silence settled between them as they ate. It was true sometimes their meetings were awkward now after all the success Labelle had had.

"I guess I forget sometimes you don't work for me anymore," Harriet said. "How old were you when you came to me?"

"Sixteen," Labelle muttered. Had it really been five years since she'd come to the city?

"Wow. I remember when I first saw you. You looked all scared and alone. And now look at you!" Harriet exclaimed.

Labelle blushed a bit. "It's weird to think how different everything is," she told Harriet. "I think city life was definitely meant for me."

"Have you gone home at all?" Harriet asked.

Labelle stiffened. "I...no. No."

"Your family must be worried about you. You left rather young," Harriet remarked.

"I-I was orphaned," Labelle admitted. "There was no family left."

"Oh, my! You never mentioned that when I hired you!" Harriet exclaimed.

"It was still kind of new in my life," Labelle told her, not revealing the fact she left two sisters behind at home.

"Well, I'm glad everything has worked out for you here. Your story could've gone a lot differently," Harriet said, finishing the last bite of her sandwich.

Labelle nodded, finishing up her lunch as well. It was nice to catch up with Harriet from time to time. After all, it wasn't like Labelle had many friends...She shook these thoughts away, knowing success was the most important. She had practically everything she needed now and was looking forward to the future.

Labelle stood up, throwing her trash away.

"Off to work?" Harriet asked.

Labelle nodded.

"You work there every day?"

Labelle once again nodded.

"That's a lot of effort put into that store."

"I like it though," Labelle assured her. "It doesn't pay badly either."

Harriet grinned. "Well, maybe I'll try to stop in sometime and visit, if I can afford it anyway."

"Yeah, stop by sometime. I could find you something nice," Labelle assured her.

"You could make me something too," Harriet hinted.

"I'll think about it," Labelle said, smirking. "See you later, Harriet!"

The pink poodle waved good-bye as Labelle left the shop. She stepped back into the sun and headed into the plaza for work. It was nice to have lunch with a friend, but some of what Harriet had said would stick with her.

Labelle had never thought of starting her own business. Now that she was teamed up with a famous fashion designer, there wasn't much of a need, and she knew she wouldn't have as much success as Gracie. Besides, if she'd really wanted her own business, she could've just stayed at home, where no one would appreciate her fashion expertise.

She thought again to what Harriet said about her family being worried. Labelle guessed it was too late now to really think of what her family thought. There'd been no connection in five years, and there wouldn't be on starting anytime soon. True, maybe she did worry a bit about her family from time to time, but she knew now from that one encounter with that raccoon that things had to be somewhat okay.

 _Am I really going the rest of my life without seeing them ever again_? Labelle thought as she changed into her work outfit. She knew she didn't want an encounter now, but she'd never considered being isolated from them forever.

She stepped out into the shop and got behind the counter. It was best to leave these thoughts behind for now. Here, in the city, she had everything she ever wanted.


	43. Chapter 43

As it got into August, the summer thunderstorms were replaced with a hot and humid environment. Sable looked forward to autumn more and more as the hot days continued.

There were always little bits of fun that came with the hot weather though. The Fireworks Festival was this Saturday, and Mabel had been talking excitedly about it all week.

Even though Sable was a little too old for the festival, she had to admit she was still excited. Things were pretty boring around here, but at least the fireworks brought some fun for her and Mabel to do.

As Sable closed up shop for the night, she fixed her and Mabel a quick dinner and they headed out. Though the sun had set and the stars were out, the air was still hot.

"I wish it'd cool down," Mabel muttered. "It's still hot at night."

"It'll be September soon enough," Sable promised.

Mabel nodded, and together the two walked to the town square. Tortimer stood out front of town hall and grinned at them.

"Good evening, ladies! Nice night for Fireworks, huh?"

Sable glanced up at the sky. It really was clear tonight. She nodded while Mabel began to ramble about all the types of fireworks she was hoping to see. Tortimer smiled and listened, and Sable smiled a bit too.

"Here are some poppers and sparklers for you," Tortimer said, laying out a bunch of items in their hands.

Mabel excitedly grabbed her share of items and they found a nice spot to stand and glance up at the sky. Sable's younger sister jumped in place excitedly. Sable shook her head and laughed. Fireworks would be continuing every week for the next month, so it wasn't like this was Mabel's only time to see them until New Years.

All at once, a loud pop resounded in the sky. Sable glanced up, watching fireworks stream across the sky. Mabel let out a squeal of joy, and together, they set off lighters, watching as the sparks danced underneath the colorful sky.

"Look up there!" Mabel shouted, pointing to a firework that had just gone off. "It looks just like the town flag."

Sable smiled and nodded, watching as streams of blue, red, and green danced in the nighttime sky.

"I'm going to get some more sparklers," Mabel said.

"Okay," Sable replied, remaining where she was. She watched the fireworks up above, remembering the summer she had spent with Tom watching fireworks every weekend in August. Had it really been so long ago?

Mabel returned with more sparklers and handed on to her sister.

"You know, you could design a fireworks shirt," Mabel said.

"A what?" Sable asked.

"A black shirt with a lot of colors. I think it'd look pretty," Mabel said as she lit her sparkler.

Sable thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah. You're right. That would look nice. Thanks, Mabel."

Her sister grinned and turned her attention back up to the night sky.

The fireworks were done all too soon, and Mabel led out a sad "aww" when the sky became dark again.

"There'll be more next week," Sable promised as they disposed of their goodies. There was still the lingering scent of smoke in the air.

"Fireworks make me sad," Mabel mentioned as they headed home together.

Sable glanced at her. "What? Why?"

"They mean summer is coming to an end," Mabel explained before skipping off ahead of Sable.

Sable paused for a moment and continued. She supposed summer was ending soon, but that's just how the seasons went. There didn't seem to be anything really special about them like when she was a kid. She supposed Mabel enjoyed swimming and the fireworks and all the good things summer brought.

"What's your favorite season?" Mabel asked as they stepped back inside.

"I don't really know," Sable admitted.

"I like summer."

"I think I could guess that," Sable said, grinning at Mabel. "I really don't know though."

"How about fall? That's your birthday season."

Sable shook her head immediately. Every time she thought of fall, she thought of that one fall when her parents had died, when Mabel was too young to understand, and when Label had become increasingly more distant from them. Even winter reminded her of Label taking off right before Toy Day.

"Spring," Sable decided.

"Spring? Why?" Mabel asked.

Sable grinned. She remembered back to Mabel's birthday, when she had first met Tom while the cherry blossoms were falling and all the fun memories that ensued.

"Just...reasons," she said.

"Okay...By the way, Pete dropped off a letter while you were working," Mabel told her. "It's on the table."

"Oh!" Sable explained, rushing upstairs. She had only gotten one other letter from Tom back in June, and her heart raced with excitement. What would he have to tell her today? She couldn't wait to rip open the letter.

Mabel sat on the couch as Sable viciously tore into her letter.

 _Dear Sable,_

 _Wow, I guess summer is almost over. That went by fast._

Sable couldn't help but laugh a little bit at that. Back here, it felt like the slowest summer of her life. She supposed the city was a bit more exciting though.

 _I'm doing fine. Don't worry about me. You don't need to send all those letters either. I assure you that I got them all. You should focus on your business instead._

 _I've learned a lot about business and dreams in the city. Maybe I wasn't thinking right when I first left. Oh well. I'm still trying my best._

 _I don't know if I mentioned Mabel's birthday in my last letter, but tell her "happy birthday" for me. I've been kind of busy just figuring things out._

 _That's kind of all I have to write. It's same old here._

 _Tom._

Sable threw the letter down in anger. What kind of letter was that? They had become increasingly worse over the months, but this one had to be the most awful. On top of the incredible ambiguity, he apparently seemed annoyed with her later and was wishing Mabel a belated birthday _three_ months later.

"Is everything okay?" Mabel asked, noticing Sable's distress.

"Fine," she muttered.

"If Tom is annoying you, then why don't we go to the city and see him?" she asked.

"No," Sable immediately said.

Mabel glanced at her weird, but Sable was dead set on her answer.

"I don't like the city. I don't want to go there. If he doesn't want to make an effort, then fine. Maybe I'll just stop writing him letters," she complained.

Mabel giggled. "You know you won't."

"Will too! I'm going to bed," Sable grumbled.

"Me too." Mabel followed after her sister and got in bed. Sable stayed up with the lamp on for a bit, thinking of the fireworks festival, her sister's ideas, and Tom's letter. Against her wishes, she grabbed a piece of paper and began to write a letter in response.


	44. Chapter 44

Okay so this is like the one time it's ever going to happen, but this is another Sable chapter. I know the goal was contrasting POVs, but there is honestly no need for me to put a filler Labelle chapter in between, so without further ado, enjoy more Sable

"Autumn at last!" Sable exclaimed as she noticed the faint yellow coloring in the trees and grass. She was staring excitedly out the window while Mabel sat, eating her breakfast.

"It's still not cold," Mabel pointed out.

"Be quiet, you," Sable teased. The summer heat was beginning to torment her, and she looked forward to some more cool and quiet nights.

A knock sounded from downstairs. Sable glanced up. That was odd. The shop wouldn't be open for a few more hours. She headed downstairs and found Pete at the door with a letter in hand.

"Letter for Miss Sable," he said.

"Oh. Thank you," Sable said, grabbing it from him. She glanced down, realizing immediately it was from Tom. She let out a "hmph" as she headed back upstairs. What did he want?

She was surprised to get another letter so soon after the vague letter she received last time. She had sent him multiple letters since but hadn't been expecting a response anytime soon.

"Who was it?" Mabel asked.

"It was Pete."

"You got another letter!" Mabel exclaimed.

"Not like I want it," Sable muttered, sitting down at the table. She ripped it open, finding a lengthy note attached.

 _Dear Sable,_

 _I'm coming home next month. I've been thinking about this for a while, about a year actually, but city life just doesn't seem like it's fit for me. I tried long and hard to convince myself otherwise, but my business never took off, and I finally admitted that it wouldn't. Sorry I didn't talk to you more about it. I guess I was kind of ashamed my dream never came true._

 _I've been sending letters back and forth with Tortimer. There's an empty plot in town that he's selling to me. I'm going to build a shop and start my own business here. It's not ideal. I'll miss the city. But I'm glad I can at least start some kind of business._

 _There's still so much more I want to do, but this is a good start, I think. Like I said before, I'll be back in early October to start my business. I'll see you then._

 _Hope everything is going well for you,_

 _Tom._

Sable's claws began to tremble, and she set the letter back down. She wanted to cry and shout at the same time. Tom was coming back! Of course, it wasn't a good circumstance for why he was coming back, but she was thrilled all the same.

If he was starting a business here, that'd mean he'd stay too. And she would have her friend back. Things could feel normal again.

"Are you okay?" Mabel asked. "What did it say?"

"Tom's coming back," Sable said.

"What? When?!"

"Next month. I guess he's going to start a business here instead."

"Yay!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable grinned, but even she felt a bit uneasy. Of course she was excited, but she hadn't seen Tom in a few years, and if he was anything like what he wrote in his letters...

She shook these thoughts away. He was still her best friend. Nothing could change that. She smiled to herself, looking forward to the next month.

The leaves changed from yellow to bright orange and red. The air became cool, and the sky became darker. October was soon upon them, and Sable was looking forward to Tom's return.

She had just finished discussing some finances with Tortimer when he spoke up.

"Did you know Tom is coming back today?" he asked.

"He is?!" Sable exclaimed.

Tom hadn't sent her another letter since the last, but she knew he would be returning around this time.

"Yes. The shop is nearly constructed, so he can start work right away. I don't know if I'd bug him today though. Give him a few days to get settled," Tortimer informed her.

"Oh...okay," Sable agreed. She wanted to greet him at the bus stop, but she decided to follow Tortimer's advice. She guessed he wasn't in the best mood since things hadn't worked out well.

So she kept her distance for a couple days. It was painful, and Mabel kept telling her to just go and see him, but Sable was also nervous about their first meet-up. She'd been secretly hoping he'd come visit her, but it didn't seem like it.

A few days after his return, Sable went on a walk in the evening and found the tiny wooden shop built for Tom was all built. There was a light coming within, and Sable guessed he was inside.

 _Is today the day?_ she asked.

She approached the shop and knocked on the door nervously. There was a pause and scuttle of footsteps when the door swung open. Tom stood in front of her.

"H-Hi..." Sable said.

She had to admit, he looked different. Older, she supposed, but also sadder too. There wasn't that spark in his eyes anymore and he no longer carried a big smile.

"Oh, hi," he replied awkwardly. "I guess I was expecting you'd visit eventually."

"Is this your shop?" Sable asked, stepping inside.

"Oh. Yeah, it is."

"What are you going to sell?" Sable asked, looking around the empty room. It was pretty underwhelming, but she knew he could make it better with a bit of effort.

"A bunch of general items."

"What are you going to call the shop?" Sable wondered.

"Nook's Cranny," he decided.

Sable giggled. "I like that name."

"Thanks," Tom replied, resting against an empty shelf.

"So...the city wasn't all it's meant to be?" she asked.

Tom sighed. "No, I guess not."

"Well, you have a good shot here!" Sable assured him. "Think of all the possibilities."

"It wasn't my favorite option," he muttered. His voice was cold and emotionless. She had never heard him sound so pessimistic.

"You can still follow your dreams here," Sable assured him.

Tom was silent. "I have to worry about making an income first. If this shop doesn't make money, then what's the point?"

 _Dreams before money,_ she remembered him saying. What had the city done to him? What had the city done to _her sister_?

"Well, you have me here again!" Sable exclaimed. "I'm so excited you're back. We can go fishing and stargazing and eat ourselves sick at the Harvest Festival."

Tom smiled weakly. "Don't you think we're a bit too old for that now?"

Sable swore she could feel her heart break in that moment.

"I...what? We're still friends, aren't we?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tom replied.

"Don't you want to stargaze again and go catch insects in the summer?" she asked quietly, her voice breaking a bit.

"You know I do, but I have a business now. So do you. Maybe that's what we should focus on," Tom suggested.

Sable clenched her fist. She had guessed the city would change Tom, but not like this. He barely felt like a friend to her. He seemed more like a stranger. Were those memories from a few years ago even real in his mind now?

"Sable, don't get upset," Tom warned. "We all knew we'd move onto bigger and better things."

"Something's wrong with you," Sable said. "You're not the same."

"What, and you are?! No, I'm not. And maybe you should learn to grow up and move on, too. What do you even do around here besides run the same business and care for your sister? That's all you're ever going to do? At least Label is working in fashion design and following her dream," he said.

Sable stared at him in disbelief. She watched as Tom glanced away, immediately realizing his mistake.

"I'm sorry. Don't take that seriously."

But Sable already had. "Don't you ever use Label against me like that. I couldn't care less what she's up to. And maybe I am doing the same thing, but I'm happy and content, for the most part anyway. I was the happiest I'd ever been when it was me and you and Mabel all together, but now I see maybe even that was a mistake."

"Sable, I'm sorry," Tom begged.

"I used to watch the stars and point out the constellations we made together!" Sable cried out. "I kept writing you letters when you stopped. I don't know what you've gone through, but that doesn't give you the right to act like a jerk. And I know a thing or two about going through dilemmas."

Tom looked away, clearly realizing his apology wasn't going to cut it.

"Something changed you. I see that now. I should've seen it ages ago, but I guess I was too hopeful. Have fun with your little business," she said, marching out the door.

"Sable!" he called, but she kept on walking away, and he didn't chase after her.

As she walked away, she glanced over her shoulder one last time to look at his little wooden shop.

"Good-bye," she whispered, before turning back to her own home.


	45. Chapter 45

Forgive me. I promise it's the last big one but...TIME SKIP

| TWENTY YEARS LATER |

Labelle's blaring alarm clock sounded at her bedside. She let out a groan and threw her claw over it, shutting it off. Hadn't she just gone to bed? Gracie had made her work that late night shift after all...

The sun was just beginning to rise over a beautiful autumn day. Little bits of orange sunlight danced around Labelle's penthouse, and bits of dust floated in the air. She really had to clean up this place. If only she had the time.

Labelle sat up on her bed, glancing out at the city around her. She remembered her first time seeing a sunrise in the city all those years ago. It was breathtaking. Perhaps it was a little still, even if the magic had faded a bit.

Labelle stood up, a sharp pain running down her back.

"Curses!" she muttered, holding onto her back. She had forgotten that Gracie had made her move all those boxes around the other day on top of working overtime.

Labelle followed her normal routine of getting ready, putting on the same layer of make-up, the same outfit. Twenty years of this now. It had just become a part of her daily life, she supposed.

After she was ready and left her dirty apartment to be cleaned later, she stepped outside, finding it to be a cool, yet comfortable day. Buses were already letting shoppers off to fulfill their material needs.

 _It might be nice to have a shopping day,_ Labelle thought. But days off were far and few in between.

She caught the sight of a frog wearing the cutest pink dress. Labelle thought of the piles of fabric in her apartment and her dusty sewing machine. She hadn't sewed in a few years due to all the work she put in at GracieGrace. She thought back to that time Harriet had suggested she make her own business.

 _Maybe Harriet was right,_ Labelle thought as she grudgingly entered her work.

GracieGrace looked the same as ever, except for their new autumn design of course. There was still the same lighting, same floors, and same raucous tune of the speakers and guests feet clanking against the floor.

Labelle took a seat down by the cashier desk before she received a quick scold.

"Labelle, stand up! Pay attention to the customers!" Gracie nagged.

Labelle slowly stood up, even though her body desperately craved to sit. She had been running around all day yesterday to help a guest carry out furniture and evidently had not had enough rest before coming into work again.

The magic of GracieGrace had all but been lost on Labelle. No longer did she live to work. It was becoming more of a burden every day. Sure, she had bells, but not much to spend them on.

Labelle constantly was at work or Gracie's side helping with the business while she watched animals joyfully spend their days with others outside. If there was one thing Labelle regretted, it was never forming a strong relationship with anyone in the city. She had made work first years ago, but now it was beginning to bite her in the butt.

"Maybe I should have got married," Labelle said to Gracie one day.

Gracie just laughed in response. "For what? A successful businesswoman doesn't need a man to bring her down or steal her bells. You have time if you really crave it."

"Nevermind," Labelle muttered, turning back to her work.

Now Labelle sat alone in her apartment most days, as she had done for the past twenty plus years. Even her own designing had become a bust. Gracie's constant work had really taken it out of Labelle, and she no longer had the energy to design after a hard day's work.

There were times Labelle had considered returning home, but what for? She had been here longer than she had ever lived in Animal Village. Her life would just be more boring there, she supposed.

"Labelle!" Gracie snapped again.

Labelle hadn't realized how lost in thought she was. She noticed a customer looking around for help and went off to assist. It was the same routine at home as it was at work. Hardly anything excited her anymore. Sales rose and fell as they always did with the seasons, and the business had been successful for years.

Labelle watched the sun move as customers entered and exited. All the while it was a normal busy day. Gracie insulted customers' fashion, Labelle helped with purchases, and there were, as always, a few complaints about the ridiculous prices.

At the end of the day, Labelle sneaked out before Gracie could assign her random tasks to do. She came back to her apartment at night and collapsed on her bed.

Had she really been doing this daily routine for so long? It was natural to her now, but it wasn't as if she enjoyed it. Something had struck her today. The city didn't feel as vibrant or bright as it used to.

She guessed it could've been the cloudy day or perhaps that she was just tired from the work the day before, but there had been this feeling nagging inside her for a long time, a feeling she couldn't quite describe.

She closed her eyes for a moment, hearing the sound of honking cars and buses treading across the road...and all the while, she felt she could hear a tricking river in the back of her mind.

Her home used to be by the river. She remembered waking up some nights and hearing the water softly flow.

Labelle's eyes shot open. That was years ago. She couldn't believe she remembered something so small and insignificant as that.

She sat up and turned the television on as she fixed herself some food and got ready for bed. The forecast called for clouds and rain for the week, which caused Labelle to groan. The cold weather was sometimes too much for her.

As she sat at the table, she found herself moving her food around with a fork, not really hungry. The same thought had been nagging at her all day. Was it time to let it shine through.

She stepped out onto her patio and glanced down at the lively city below. Maybe she was just getting too old for this place. But it had been her dream, after all. Why would she ever leave it?

"Sable, Mabel," she whispered. "Do you ever still think about me...like I still think about you?" she asked the voiceless night sky.


	46. Chapter 46

The bedroom was more quiet now. Sable awoke and glanced over at the empty, made bed beside her. Outside, she could hear the wind blowing the autumn leaves off the tree.

Mabel had not slept in the same room as Sable since she was a teenager. They'd converted their parents' office space into a nice little room for Mabel. Of course, the master bedroom was always open and untouched, but both Mabel and Sable felt uncomfortable sleeping there.

It was still early morning and a few hours before the shop would open, the shop Sable had somehow been able to keep open for twenty plus years. Sales were never boosting, but they were always enough to allow Sable and Mabel to live comfortably.

Sable reached into her drawer, pulling out a small wooden box inside. She lifted the top and pulled out her pair of nice, orange scissors. A note was tucked neatly inside...her birthday message.

Sable hardly ever reread the note anymore. The scissors had become worn with age, but she would never throw them away. She cradled them close to her and felt her throat closing with tears.

Autumn was always a difficult time for her.

After her encounter with Tom Nook when he came back, nothing was really the same. She went months without speaking to him and a few years later only visited his shop out of absolute necessity.

He never made an effort to speak to her, and she never made an effort to speak to him. She watched as his business grew and expanded. Nook's Cranny had turned into Nookington's, where he employed two of his nephews.

 _They're like little slaves to him,_ she thought.

It was true that she and Tom still weren't on the best terms. She didn't expect them to ever really be on good terms again. Whatever those magical years had been were gone now. It was obvious that he cared about bells and business more than her or anyone, really.

The door cracked open, and Sable froze, turning around. Mabel was at the door, staring at her.

"Sable, what are you-" She froze. "Are you crying?"

"I'm not," Sable argued, placing the scissors away.

"When are you going to throw away that worn box and old scissors?" Mabel questioned.

Sable rolled her eyes and shoved her things away, following her sister out into the living room.

Mabel was the only one who had ever gotten Sable through all those years. She had watched her sister continue to grow and grow before her very eyes. She remembered excitedly teaching Mabel how to sew, and now her younger sister was almost as good as her.

Managing the shop had become a lot easier too. Mabel helped customers and handled transactions while Sable sat off to the side making new outfits. Sable had never really been the social one, but Mabel sure liked people. Sable was grateful for her little corner though. It was nice to finally have a business partner instead of raising her sister and managing the shop.

"I'm making eggs. You want some?" Mabel asked.

Sable shook her head and sipped on some coffee.

"You don't eat enough. You never have. You're lucky I'm here to look out for you," Mabel warned Sable, waving a spatula at her.

"Stop treating me like I'm an old woman. You're only ten years younger than me."

"That's a bit of a difference," Mabel replied, turning to her breakfast.

Sable glanced up at the family portrait on the wall, noticing dust had been collecting. She grabbed a rag and began to scrub it.

Mabel, apparently hearing the noise, stepped away from her eggs and watched Sable clean.

"There! All better!" Sable replied, looking at the glistening glass.

"That's a nice picture," Mabel said. "If only I remembered it."

Sable frowned. It was true Mabel had been more curious about their parents as she'd grown. She had been so young when they died, but Sable had done her best to tell her stories of them. Even then, Sable had only been thirteen when they died, and she was beginning to lose memory of them herself.

They never spoke of the third little hedgehog daughter in the picture. Ever since Mabel was younger, Label was never brought up. Sable was starting to think Mabel had forgotten altogether about her old sister, but she knew this couldn't be the case. There was photographic evidence of Label around the house, and even if Mabel's memory had faded, she doubted Mabel had forgotten about Label completely.

"Well, let's get to work!" Sable said, patting Mabel on the back. They headed downstairs in their work aprons and happily opened the shop. Sable sat in her corner sewing away while Mabel entertained customers with her cheery attitude.

 _It's like she sucked up my positivity,_ Sable thought, watching her sister interact with the villagers. It was no doubt Sable was shy, but part of that was because she couldn't possess that same cheerful smile.

"Hello, hello!" came a raspy voice.

Sable glanced up to find Tortimer entering the shop in a cheerful glee.

"Mayor Tortimer, what are you doing here?" Sable asked.

"May I interest you in a new top?" Mabel asked, pointing to their array of colorful shirts.

Tortimer chuckled and shook his head. "I got a little secret to spill."

"A secret?" Sable asked. Her heart began to pound, but she didn't know why. What secrets did she have to hide?

"Listen closely, you two," he said. The two leaned toward his voice as he whispered, "I'm retiring next year."

"Retiring?!" Sable gasped. She supposed it made sense. He had seemed old even as a child to her.

"But who will be mayor?" Mabel asked.

"Oh, it's still a ways off. Not till next year, you know. We're going to get some new fresh blood in here. Don't know who it will be, but surprises are fun, eh?" he said, smacking his cane against the desk in a chuckle.

"What are you going to do?" Sable asked.

"I think a nice getaway trip would do me well. There's a condo on this quaint little island calling my name!" he exclaimed.

"It won't be Tom Nook, will it?" Sable asked.

"Sable! You can't ask him-" But Mabel was interrupted by Tortimer.

"I hadn't considered him. Should I?"

"No, I don't think so. I think he's too busy with his own business or drowning in a pool of bells right now," Sable muttered.

"Uh, well, I...I wasn't considering him, no. We'll find someone good, I promise."

Sable nodded. "Well, congratulations."

"Lot of big plans coming for this small village. I've been hearing all about new building projects," Tortimer told her.

"What? Don't we have enough development? I still want this to be a quaint little town," Sable complained.

"It is, it is," Mabel assured her. "Well, that's good for you, Tortimer. Thank you for letting us know."

He nodded and exited, leaving Sable to lean against her chair in thought.

"I still didn't know you had such strong feelings against Tom Nook," Mabel said, returning to her work.

"I don't like to talk about it," Sable replied.

"Didn't you guys fight like twenty years ago?"

"Shut up. You were too young to remember," Sable teased.

"I was eight!" Mabel exclaimed. "I remember. I wonder about all that development though. What does that mean for us?"

Sable shrugged. "Hopefully nothing. Sales are doing well, and the town couldn't go without a tailor shop now."

"I wonder if Nook's got in."

Sable rolled her eyes. "Probably. Did you hear that rumor that his nephews are his legal slaves?"

Mabel laughed. "Stop messing around."

Sable giggled. "Sorry. That was cruel. I like the shop how it is now. I don't think anything is going to change that. We have a good system going here."

"Agreed," Mabel replied, grinning at her sister.


	47. Chapter 47

Labelle laid awake at night as she heard the tires of cars roll across the road. Her room would become illuminated briefly with the light of a headlight, then fade back into darkness.

She groaned and rolled over, wondering why she couldn't sleep tonight. All was quiet except for the sound of those cars. It had never bothered her before, not in the twenty plus years she had lived here, so why tonight?

 _Think of a trickling stream,_ she thought, her eyes getting heavy. _Think of crickets chirping and the slight autumn breeze._

Her eyelids drooped more, until suddenly images of her childhood flashed in her mind. She was playing with her sisters in the autumn grass and pointing out big dragonflies to Mabel.

Labelle's eyes flashed open, and she sat up. The sound of cars echoed in her ears again. That had been a strange little dream. Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest.

Labelle rested her head back down and sighed, her eyes gazing at the blank ceiling. It was going to be a long night.

"You look like you were hit by the 8:00 a.m. bus," Gracie remarked as Labelle set down her things for look. Labelle shot the giraffe a look, but she didn't seem to care.

"I didn't get much sleep," Labelle muttered.

"Noisy neighbors? You must rent out half the building for some quiet."

Labelle rolled her eyes and sat down. She had once congratulated herself for putting up with Gracie's attitude, but now she wondered why she had ever put up with it in the first place. The giraffe was becoming a pain in her neck, no pun intended.

"Well, chop chop! Working time!" Gracie announced, clapping her hooves together.

"Hey," Labelle said, glancing up at her boss. "I have some designs I wanted to show you for our new collection. Can we talk about them after work today?"

"Perhaps," Gracie agreed.

Labelle grinned a bit, hoping this could get her back on track. She'd been in a bit of a funk lately and unable to touch into her creative side. Plus, she'd had the same position at GracieGrace for several years and was hoping for a little more. A pay raise would be nice, but a promotion would be even better.

These thoughts kept Labelle going through the day, even if she was exhausted. But she listened to all the customers and sold many items, and soon enough, the doors were closed for the night.

Labelle met Gracie in their back room where they normally met to discuss sales and sometimes take inventory.

"Labelle, come in," Gracie said.

Labelle clutched her sketchbook to her chest. She'd had a pile of sketchbooks sitting in her apartment for years, and this was her newest, filled with designs she thought could easily sell.

"We had a little increase in sales today, but I suppose they'll sort of stagnate during the season as autumn draws out. We need to have those winter designs in by Friday, but you can take care of that, I suppose?"

"Oh...yes," Labelle replied.

Gracie turned back to her work, seemingly not wanting to hear more.

"Um, Gracie," Labelle said, clearing her throat.

The giraffe glanced up at her as if she were bothered by Labelle speaking.

"It's just, you said I could share some ideas with you today."

Gracie glanced at the clock on the wall beside her. "I suppose I could spare five minutes."

"Oh, good!" Labelle exclaimed, energy filling her. She sat down next to the giraffe and plopped the sketchbook in front of her. She began flipping through pages and talking excitedly.

"I thought maybe we could implement these designs in future collections. We don't have to do winter, of course, but maybe spring. I've been working long and hard on these. I think they'd do well. I could even make some myself," Labelle explained.

Gracie studied the designs intently then turned back to her worker. "These are interesting."

"Oh. Are they good?" Labelle asked.

"I see potential," Gracie told her. "But this is so below us. It's so below you. GracieGrace is meant to embody the best of fashion. I can't believe you would offer to make some of these yourself when you know we have a perfectly good supplier."

"It's just...I've been working here a very long time. Over twenty years, actually. I've had little pay raises, no promotion-"

"Ah, is this your little trick to get me to promote you? You are already practically my business partner. Come now, Labelle. I have given you so much already. You were just a little girl I plucked off the street."

"And I thank you for that, but, my dream..."

"Ah, yes, I've heard it before, 'to become a fashion designer.' And aren't you one already? Very few make it in the fashion world, darling, and frankly, I don't see you making it there without some...assistance," she said.

Anger boiled in Labelle's veins. Gracie was rude, no doubt, but she had never insulted Labelle like this.

"Sorry for taking up your time," Labelle growled, snatching her sketchbook away.

"There is always room for improvement!" Gracie shouted as Labelle stepped out of the shop.

She stepped outside, immediately being pelted with rain. She cursed, knowing she had left her umbrella at home. She wasn't planning to ask Gracie to borrow one either.

 _That giraffe is an entitled know-it-all,_ Labelle thought as she ran back to her apartment.

She returned soaking wet. Even the pages of her sketchbook were bleeding ink. Her designs were ruined.

Labelle sighed and changed into a dry pair of clothes. It wasn't fair, she thought. She had put up with Gracie for years, and she had gotten nothing out of it.

 _Maybe I should've started my own business,_ she thought. But it was too late now. She was too tightly woven into the GracieGrace franchise. She would never be as successful as her employer.

Labelle glanced at the mirror, seeing her make-up had become splotched in the rain. As the make-up washed away, she looked at her features. She remembered her parents speaking of how Labelle and Sable looked the most alike. Labelle guessed she could see a little bit of her sister in her now.

She knew Sable was probably leading a better life than her right now. If what she guessed was correct, Sable was probably still running that old tailor shop, making what she wanted and not being kept awake by the sound of cars at night.

Labelle felt a pang in her stomach that she finally identified as homesickness. But why now? Why not twenty years earlier? For the first time, she felt as if she actually genuinely missed her family, even if she had spent a longer time away from them than with them.

Thoughts crossed her mind about returning home, but Labelle shook them away. She wouldn't be swayed by a little bout of homelessness. She had a comfortable life here, even if it was no longer what she had dreamed it would be.

Still, a little smile came to her face as she thought of memories of her back home with her sisters when her parents were still alive. Just once, she'd give anything to go back to that simpler time.

 _But I'm here,_ Labelle reminded herself. The city life was what she had chosen, and it was where she would stay.


	48. Chapter 48

There were many drafts of unwritten letters in Sable's bottom drawer, buried beneath design catalogs. It was true she had considered writing to Label several times over the years. But she never finished a single letter, sometimes stopping after the first sentence. Besides, she had no idea where to send the letter either.

Sable glanced at the pile as she was going through some new designs one day. When she was younger, she used to shove the letters in there and note that she would finish it later.

But she never knew how to finish the letter or what to say. Anytime she thought about reconnecting with Label, her mind was changed the next day. What she really needed was some guidance, but she would never speak to Mabel about the matter.

Sable shoved the catalogs back on top of the letters and shut her drawer. She kept so many old things in these drawers, but she never had the strength to throw anything out.

It was quite a boring day at work. The sky was cloudy again and the air was cold. No one really wanted to be outside or venture around.

Sable stitched and sewed while Mabel cleaned the floors and tossed spools of thread around.

"Hey, can I use the sewing machine?" Mabel asked. "There's a new shirt I wanted to work on."

"I'm finishing tomorrow's set," Sable explained.

"Oh, please!"

"We're working," Sable said again.

"No one is here. You haven't taken a lunch break anyway," Mabel said.

"There's nothing to do," Sable muttered. "So I'm going to work on this."

"Oh, come on. You always get to use the sewing machine."

"Fine," Sable said, getting out of her chair and letting her sister take over.

"Now you can do my job," Mabel suggested.

"As if," Sable replied. "Did you finish running those errands?"

"I forgot!" Mabel gasped. "But you can do them right now if you need something to do. The list is on the table."

Sable leaned over and grabbed the sheet of paper.

"Wait...these are all things I can only get at Nookington's."

"Just go over and buy it," Mabel said, beginning to focus on her sewing.

"I don't want to go there," Sable complained.

"Well, some things on that list are necessities. Just go real quick," Mabel said, shooing her with her hand.

"I'll kill you later," Sable growled, taking off her apron and stepping outside. It really was as cold as she guessed it was. The leaves were swirling to the ground in a steady steam, and the wind blew into Sable's face.

 _I can't believe I have to go here,_ she thought.

She only ever went to Tom Nook's shop out of absolute necessity, but she figured her sister had set her up today. For as much as Mabel never once mentioned Label, she liked to get on Sable's nerves about Tom.

The walk was short, but Sable tried to drag it out as long as possible. Each step made her more and more restless until finally she was at the entrance of Nookington's. The doors slid open, and who was there to greet her but Tom Nook himself.

He'd grown older and plumper as the years went on, though Sable supposed she had too. Still, it was hard to imagine there had ever been that sparkle in his eyes or his mouth had always been tied up in a smile.

"W-Welcome to Nookington's," he stammered, clearly not expecting her. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Just doing errands," she said quietly, trying to avoid eye contact with him.

As much as she expressed her hatred toward him to her sister, it was very hard for her to act impolite when she was around him. The only time she ever had was her outburst at him that had ended their friendship for good. Now every encounter was awkward and painful, even if it had been several years.

"Ah, yes, very good," he said, keeping his distance.

She pursed his shelves, grabbing items on Mabel's list. The list seemed a lot longer than she remembered as she walked around in silence, hearing the elevator-like music play on the speakers.

She wished everything on the list had been upstairs, that way she'd just have to deal with Nook's nephews. But of course, everything Mabel needed could be found on the first floor. Typical...

"Um, how is your day going?" Tom asked, clearly feeling as awkward as her. He had never acted hostile toward her, but he'd never made an effort to make up with her either.

"Oh, it's good," she lied. She hesitated before saying, "How about you?"

"Oh, good, good," he said. "It's kind of cold today, huh?"

"It's autumn," Sable reminded him.

"Oh, yes, yes, that's right," he said.

"Well, I have all my things," she said.

"Oh, yes, I'll ring you up," he said, rushing to his cashier desk. Sable fumbled through her bag before pulling out the necessary bells. There was an awkward exchange as he handed her the bag and then she headed out.

"Oh, happy early birthday!" he said, referring to her birthday that was coming up in a few weeks.

She should've said 'thank you,' but all she could mutter was, "Hm..surprised you'd even remember," before walking out.

Immediately Sable regretted her words. She felt embarrassed, but also sort of proud she'd been able to say that to him. It wasn't like he had ever apologized. Of course, she had said some harsh things, but she thought she deserved an apology more than him.

She returned to find the shop still empty and Mabel sewing away.

"I got everything," Sable said.

"And more?" Mabel asked.

"Shut up," Sable replied, heading upstairs to set the bag back down.

"That store is ridiculous," Sable muttered as she returned back into the shop.

"Oh, please. You're just upset because I made you see Tom," Mabel said.

"So you admit to it."

"Of course. You hold too many grudges."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sable questioned.

"Nothing, nothing," Mabel replied.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I insulted him before I left anyway."

"You what?!"

Sable quickly explained her small little response to Nook's comment. Mabel held her claws to mouth, simply horrified.

"How can you say things like that?!"

"You barely remember when he was a part of my life, so you don't have any right to question me," she challenged.

"I was eight! I remember when I was eight!" Mabel argued.

Sable sighed and shook her head. "Are you almost done?" she asked.

Mabel nodded. "Just finishing the last stitch. I can't believe you said that though."

"Believe me, I'm extremely embarrassed and can never return now," she said, returning to her seat at the sewing table.

"One day you're going to have to face all of this," Mabel warned her.

Sable laughed. "As if." Tom barely crossed her mind when Mabel said that. She thought of Label instead. It had been over twenty years. If Sable had not felt the need to contact her sister in that time, she doubted she ever would.


	49. Chapter 49

Labelle's hand trembled as she held the pen to a piece of paper. Her heart was pounding violently, and the sound of her fan spinning around in her room was bothering her.

She stood up to turn the fan off and sat back down, the entire room being filled with silence now. She tapped her pen against the sheet of paper and glanced outside where the autumn leaves drifted down from trees on the sidewalk.

 _I can do this. I can do this,_ she told herself.

Something had changed inside her in the past few weeks. She had increasingly noticed her loneliness, how the city felt like a dark hole now. Gracie was rude to her as ever, though perhaps she had always been and Labelle was finally getting too tired to put up with it.

After laying awake all night, she had decided she'd write a letter to her family. She'd spent all day at work thinking of what to right, but now, in the afternoon sunlight, she couldn't seem to put her thoughts onto paper.

Labelle was scared. She had to admit that. She had not said anything to her family in years...which was why she was addressing the letter to Mabel instead. She hoped she had not made too bad of an impression on her youngest sister and hoped Mabel would be accepting. She was too frightened to reach out to Sable yet.

 _You're writing to your cute younger sister,_ she thought. _She never once hated you._

But Mabel was much older now. She was not the little toddler Labelle had left behind. Perhaps Sable had rubbed off all her feelings toward Labelle on Mabel.

Labelle sighed and finally brought her claw to write.

 _Dear Mabel,_ it began.

 _Good start,_ she thought.

 _I don't know if you remember me. I hope you do. My name is Labelle, and I'm your older sister. It's been a long time, hasn't it? You were only a few years old when I left to the city. It's hard to believe so much time has passed._

 _I am sorry it took me so long to write a letter. Over twenty years actually. There are a lot of things I'm sorry for, actually. It has taken me a long time to accept that I've made many mistakes, especially when it comes to my familial life._

 _I don't know if you remember the day I left you and Sable. It was in winter, near Toy Day, I remember. There was snow falling down outside as I fought with Sable and then ran to the bus stop. I am sorry if you remember any of that._

 _I don't know what Sable has told you about me. Probably not nice things. I don't think I did very nice things either. Sable and I had a lot of issues back then._

 _I have been living in the city and working for Gracie, the fashion designer, at her high-end store for the past several years. I have a nice apartment and a pretty view, and a very comfortable life. But I am just now realizing that it isn't as grand as I thought it was when I left home all those years ago._

 _I wanted to reconnect. I hope you are both doing well. I assume you're both living still in Animal Village, maybe even in the same house._

 _There's still a lot I want to say and talk about, but I wanted to make sure you got this letter first._

 _Baby sister, I always remembered you and still love you. I hope you haven't forgotten about me._

 _Love,_

 _Labelle._

The walk to the post office was agonizing, but Labelle did it and felt herself overcome with relief as she placed it in the mailbox. Of course, stress and anxiety followed as the days passed.

First it was only a few days, then a week, and then the first snow fell. There had been no response. But the letter had to have sent. She had not received a return.

 _I'm not giving up,_ she thought.

It was snowing at night when she sat down to write the second letter. It was still addressed to Mabel, and it would be until she got some kind of response.

 _Dear Mabel,_ the second letter read.

 _I hope you got my first letter. I haven't received a response, which worries me, but no matter. I don't want to quit writing just yet. I'm very persistent, you see. That's how I got to live in the city._

 _It is snowing here in the city. Maybe it is snowing back in Animal Village too. I bet all the trees have pretty lights and there are snowmen strewn across the fields._

 _We don't really get that here. There's snow, of course, but it has to be plowed. There are lights, sure, but they don't seem as pretty and sparkly as how I remembered._

 _I'm busy working since we just released our new winter fashion collection. I don't know if you remember me sketching all the time. I love fashion, I always have, but I feel as if it's faded a bit, like it did when our parents died._

 _I no longer am hit with as much creativity. My boss doesn't pay attention to what I have to contribute. I am sure Sable, and maybe even you if she taught you, gets to sew all the time and whatever she wants. I wish I had that luxury._

 _There was once a friend who suggested to me starting my own business. I told her no, that I was happy with my job, but now I'm starting to wonder if that was a mistake._

 _Maybe lack of creativity makes me run away. That's what I did all those years ago. I thought my dream was more important, but now after living twenty plus years in near solitude, I'm starting to wonder if I was right._

 _I think the holidays maybe just get me in this mood. November and December are never much fun for me. I hope you always had the best ones. I know Sable probably gave you that._

 _I do hope you reply eventually. I want to keep writing. I think this is helping me._

 _Love,_

 _Labelle_

She brought this letter to the post office and had a feeling of warmth inside her despite the falling snow that coated her body as she walked. She had never really considered ever spending the holidays with her family. Perhaps this would be the year.

She glanced up at the darkened sky where tiny little snowflakes flowed down. She stuck her tongue out and grinned, reminded of her childhood days. Perhaps writing to her sisters made her feel like a child again.


	50. Chapter 50

Wow, the 50th chapter! Only six more left after this one. And to celebrate, enjoy a Mabel POV! Gasp, what? Yeah, she's old enough to deserve one now

"Letter for Miss Mabel," Pete said, standing outside of the shop.

"Wow, you must have a secret admirer," Sable remarked, laughing in the background.

Outside the cherry blossoms were slowly falling to the ground. The sun was brightly shining, and a warm breeze flowed against Mabel's apron as she reached for the letter.

"Have a nice day," Pete said, taking off.

She nodded and glanced outside. It was a lovely day, and she should've felt happy, but the young hedgehog just felt guilty and sad inside. Sable hadn't noticed yet, but she had picked up on the letters.

They were less often, one a month, then one every two months. When Mabel had received the first one back in November, she was absolutely shocked.

It was no secret to her that they had a sister, even if Sable never brought her up. Mabel could see the pictures scattered of her around the house, even if they slowly seemed to disappear over the years. She even had faint memories of the night Label left.

It was hard to picture her sister in her memory, but besides the night Label left, there were always warm and bright memories of her older sister.

Mabel wanted to bring it up to Sable, but she knew Sable would immediately snatch the letter away and burn it, perhaps. Mabel had kept it, but she didn't reply.

For months she had been torn on what to do, and she wasn't acting her usual self. It was harder to put on a happy grin when she knew Label was suffering and Sable was too. And she was caught in the middle of it.

"Well, well, and who is it from?" Sable asked as Mabel left to read it upstairs.

"Molly, the duck that moved away a little while ago," Mabel explained, trying to throw her sister off the track.

"Oh, I forget that you're friends with everyone here."

"I'm taking a lunch break. I'll be upstairs," Mabel said. As soon as she was alone in the living room, she opened the letter, desperate to hear more from the sister who had decided to write to _her,_ not Sable. Mabel was touched in a way, but she wished Sable knew that Label was making an effort, or Labelle, she guessed she should say.

Mabel wasn't sure what had gone on with the name change, but it was still her sister. Mabel's memories were far and few of her, but she remembered her better than her parents, and that was enough.

 _Dear Mabel,_

 _I hope it's as pretty back home as it is here. Everything is blooming, the sky is sunny, and there are pretty little butterflies everywhere. It's odd. I hadn't really thought so much about nature in the city. It makes me think of the beautiful flowers and river back home._

 _My job continues to not be well. I am still employed, of course, and making an income, but my attempts to speak to my boss about improvements have been shut down, and I am losing motivation constantly._

 _I wish you would reply to me one of these days. I've checked with the post office multiple times, and they keep saying you're reading these letters. Maybe I am just writing to myself. Either way, it's a good practice for me. I felt like I was holding in the secret of my past for so long, and it's good to finally write these thoughts down._

 _As I stated, I am always here to talk. I would really love to reconnect, to fully apologize, and start anew. It took me so long to realize how wrong my life was, but I hope it's not too late to get it back on the right track._

 _I don't know if Sable has seen these letters. Maybe she's just throwing them away. But tell Sable I am sorry too. We had a big falling out, you see. I don't think she's forgiven me. Tell her I love her and miss her._

 _I love you, Mabel, and I hope I can talk or see you sometime soon. I want to see how much you've grown!_

 _Love,_

 _Labelle_

Mabel sighed, the faintest of tears filling her eyes. She wondered what it would have been like to have a complete family. She'd never had one, never in her memory anyway. It would be a dream to be reunited with her sister, especially since she barely remembered her, but she had to keep in mind Sable too.

There was no doubt that Label had clearly hurt Sable. Mabel knew that. It was why she had neglected to reply. But perhaps if she spoke to her sister...

Later that night, Mabel sat with Sable at the dinner table. They both ate quietly, with the exception of Sable bringing up something about the shop every now and again or the spring weather.

"You're rather quiet tonight," Sable remarked as Mabel mostly nodded in response to Sable's conversation. "You've been a bit quiet lately. Is everything okay?"

Mabel's eyes lingered to the family portrait that hung in the kitchen.

"Do you ever think about Label?" Mabel asked. Sable's eyes widened, and Mabel suddenly regretted saying anything.

Silence filled the room. Sable flexed her claws and set her utensils down.

"Why are you asking this?"

"I was just wondering," Mabel muttered.

Sable now appeared cold, no longer speaking about the sunny spring day.

"What do you care for? You don't remember her."

"Yes, I do," Mabel argued.

Sable narrowed her eyes.

"N-not a lot," Mabel stuttered. "But I have some memories. I remember the night she left. I remember you telling me lies."

"Telling you-telling you what?"

"That she'd come back," Mabel whimpered.

"Listen closely, Mabel," Sable said. "You were only a toddler when Label left. I didn't want to upset you. You didn't understand what was going on."

"But you still lied to me. I remember for years thinking she'd come back."

"You need to stop romanticizing Label," Sable snapped. Mabel sat upright. She rarely saw her quiet sister get mad. Label was clearly a subject not to touch on.

"Label was a backstabbing, awful member of this family."

"Oh, that's a little harsh, don't you think?" Mabel suggested.

"I don't think so. We were struggling. It was right after Mom and Dad had died. She helped with the money, I helped take care of you. And she left, right around the holidays. She left us alone.

"She took money, she went to the city, and she didn't speak to us. She knew that we were struggling, yet she did nothing. That's why we don't speak about her. That's why I don't want to talk about her," Sable said. "I suggest you learn to do the same."

"But what if-"

"Who was there to raise you? Me? Or Label?"

"You," Mabel sighed, realizing she had not made Sable change her mind at all.

"I'm going to bed," Sable said, placing her plates away and heading into the bedroom.

Mabel sighed and retreated to her own bedroom. She glanced at the new letter she had gotten. She had thought that maybe she would reply to this one, but it didn't seem like a good idea.

She shoved the letter away with the others. There would be no replying. What Sable said was true. Mabel only knew Label from these letters. Sable remembered everything better. Sable had raised Mabel and tried to give her the best childhood she could. And for that, Mabel was grateful.

She wouldn't reach out to Label. Doing so would be betraying her own sister Sable who had worked tirelessly to care for her.

"I can never reply to these letters," Mabel whispered. "She just needs to stop sending them."

Outside, it was warm and bright, but all felt dark in Mabel's room as she shoved the drawer shut, not planning on looking at any letters again for a long time.


	51. Chapter 51

Spring came and went, as did the hot months of summer. Soon, it was September again. The leaves still clung to the trees, but slowly their colors would begin changing. For now, they were only a faint shade of yellow.

Labelle stood against the GracieGrace building under the awning, trying to stay in the shade. Perhaps autumn was upon them, but it was still a bit too hot for her liking.

It had almost been a year since she had begun sending letters to Mabel, and yet, there had been no responses. They had been less frequent, of course. The last she had sent had been in mid-July.

But she knew they were being received. She wondered, why then, that Mabel refused to acknowledge them. She had so much hope last autumn and even into the winter, but by spring, she had a feeling that there would be no response.

 _Maybe Sable threw all the letters out. Or maybe Sable is hiding them from her. Or maybe...Mabel doesn't want to talk to me._

Tears welled in Labelle's eyes as she looked out over the happy shoppers. Mabel had a right not to talk to her. Labelle had left her life when Mabel was only three. She had no part in raising her like she was sure Sable did.

 _But I want to be a part of your life now,_ Labelle thought.

She had, at times, considered writing to Sable, but if Mabel wasn't even going to reply, what was the point of writing to Sable?

Labelle glanced out at the plaza of the city. She watched as animals excitedly walked to stores and chatted among themselves about their purchases. Her eyes caught on a small lamb with her mother who had just gotten off the bus.

Labelle watched as the little girl's eyes lit up and sparkled as she took in all that the city had to offer. Labelle grinned slightly. She used to be that way too. She was sure she had that face when she was sixteen.

But now when she looked around, she saw the same old shops, the same old people, and the same lack of opportunity. Her apartment was very nice, a thing of luxury, even, compared to her childhood home, yet she never looked forward to returning to it.

She was beginning to miss clusters of trees, fresh fruit that you could pick off trees, and trips to the beach. If she had any confidence in herself, she would've taken a bus home right now, but she couldn't, not when she knew no one wanted her.

Even at work she was beginning to feel hopeless. She had taken her lunch break outside today, desperate to get out of her same old workplace.

She leaned her head back, her bristles scratching against the cement wall. How many more years of this could she do? She knew she would crack eventually, just like she had back home.

"Maybe staying in one place isn't good for me," she murmured.

She walked back inside, finding Gracie with her hands on her hips.

"Your lunch break ended ten minutes ago!"

"It isn't a busy day. Were you swamped?" Labelle asked.

Gracie glared at her. "I don't like your attitude today. I am the boss and owner of this establishment. You are an _employee._ Your responsibility is to assist customers, not blankly stare outside like you've been doing every break."

"I'm really just an employee?" she asked. "After all I've done for you and this store? I've been working here forever, I've been by your side through it all, and I'm an _employee?!_ "

"That's what the job description says."

"Let's not forget who has stayed with you countless nights to help clean up, set up, and plan out your next collection. I've worked longer and harder than you have, yet you won't listen to a single one of my ideas," Labelle challenged. She could feel the anger bubbling up inside her, yet was having trouble controlling it as she spoke.

"You say one more word, and you're fired. I can easily replace you," Gracie challenged.

In any other situation, Labelle would've made a remark right there. But there wasn't anything fascinating about being fired. She'd rather quit.

There were many things Labelle wanted to shout and scream at Gracie, yet she kept quiet.

"Good. Anything to say?"

"Sorry," Labelle muttered, turning back to her work.

Gracie let out a little "hmmph" before heading to the back of the store. Labelle sighed, and despite her urge to just run out the door, she remained and finished her shift and headed back home like she normally did.

She wished things would just work out for her, for once. But she realized she had dug herself into this hole, and it would be nearly impossible to get out of it.

Labelle thought back to her siblings again. She reached into her drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper. There was little hope that this letter would reach them and that she would get a reply, but it was time to at least wrap up one part of her life, even if she couldn't allow herself to quit her job just yet.

She picked up a pen and began to write:

 _Dear Mabel, or Sable, or both,_

 _I apologize for all the letters I sent you. There's a lot I have to apologize for, but I wanted to first apologize for the letters. It was wrong of me to send you letters like that Mabel, especially since I took advantage of the fact that I was nearly a clean slate for you. This is the last letter I'll be writing. I'm looking for closure, that's all, and hopefully this achieves that._

 _I'm sorry for not being responsible for when Mom and Dad died. I shouldn't have left at all. Even if things did miraculously work out for me in the city, the life has become old and boring now, and over the years, I felt like something was always missing-my family._

 _It's amazing how much I miss home and both of you. I, for once, miss a quiet life and my two loving sisters. Sable, I especially miss you, and I'm sorry for having treated you so poorly. And Mabel, I'm sorry I wasn't a part of your childhood. Thank you, Sable, for all that you've probably done for Mabel. I should've been a part of that, and I'm sorry._

 _It was wrong of me to leave, to offer you no money, to not tell you about where I had gone or what I was up to. I was angry and hurt after our parents' death, and I didn't realize how much my family mattered to me._

 _It's embarrassing how long it took me to admit all of this and reach out to you. I understand that you do not want to speak to me. I have done some awful things to this family, and for that, I am sorry. But if you even had the slightest feeling that maybe we could talk to each other again, I'm all ears. It's one thing to write this apology out here, but another to say it to both of you._

 _I wish you all the best and hope both of you are well. I love both of you and am sorry for the way I have treated you._

 _Love,_

 _Label_

She decided not to write down the rest of her city name. She was speaking as Label now, the girl from the small village, not the chic and fashion designer Labelle.

Labelle set the pen down and folded the letter up, a tear dripping onto the letter as she tucked it in the envelope. She brought it to the post office and let out a big sigh.

"It's done," she murmured.


	52. Chapter 52

It was autumn again, and things were the same as normal as Sable ran the business with Mabel and enjoyed her quiet life in Animal Village...for the time being anyway.

"Did you see this?!" Sable exclaimed, holding out a paper in front of her sister.

She watched Mabel stiffen for a little bit, then look closer.

"They're planning an expansion above town for a nice little shopping center, and they want us to move the shop."

"Would it really be such a bad thing?" Mabel asked. "Our home and store is a little crammed."

"Look at this! Nook's Homes will be open for business, yet his other business is still open. If he isn't the greediest, son of a-"

"Maybe this is for the better," Mabel said. "Things have always been quiet around here. It'll be nice for a change. Tortimer is retiring very soon. Maybe it's better someone younger is coming to help."

Sable sighed and took a seat. Her sister had changed in the past year. There were those few months she was very quiet, yet Sable had never pushed to ask why. Now Mabel was mostly back to her old, positive self, yet she seemed more wise too.

"I have to think about it before I agree to anything," Sable said.

"Well, of course. And it's your decision to make, not mine," Mabel said.

Sable smiled weakly and shoved the notice away. Work was slow that day, and as Sable glanced around the shop, she noticed Mabel was right in a way. Things were crammed, especially their living space upstairs. She could only imagine what it would be life to have this house all to themselves to live in.

Later that evening, Sable began reminiscing about her childhood again, thinking of what her parents would do in this situation. This shop was old, and maybe a new location was just what they needed.

Her eyes fell on the one family portrait that she had left up. Her eyes fell on Label. It was odd. She hadn't thought of her sister in months, but her sister's presence suddenly felt very large.

 _Maybe I have too much anger built up inside me,_ Sable thought.

She and Mabel talked about normal things at dinner that night, speaking briefly about the new construction projects. Sable didn't like change, but Mabel assured her it would probably be for the better.

Sable leaned back in her chair. Change...It was true. Her life had been the same, stagnant life since her parents had died practically. Of course, she'd raised Mabel and had that brief friendship with Tom. She'd opened the shop too, but that had all been several years ago. What was her life now?

"You know who I was thinking of earlier?" she asked.

"Tom," Mabel said in a goofy voice.

"No!" Sable exclaimed. She cleared her throat and glanced away from Mabel.

"I was thinking about Label."

A silence filled the room. Mabel dropped her utensil, and it clattered against the plate.

"But, you, what..." Mabel was at a loss for words. "You never talk about her. Why are you bringing her up?"

"I was thinking a lot about change today. I've kept her out of my life for twenty plus years, just like Tom. I'm still mad at Tom, by the way, but what about Label."

"But she left us," Mabel murmured. "You made that very clear."

Sable nodded. "True, true. I don't know what she's up to and she's never contacted us. I wonder what it would be like to talk to her again, that's all."

"Why aren't you saying mean things about her?" Mabel asked.

Sable shrugged. "Maybe I'm tired of holding grudges. I don't know why I don't feel enraged when I think of her anymore. It's more a sense of nostalgia, or a feeling that maybe I did something wrong. It's guilt."

There was a pause, and then Sable chuckled.

"I don't know why I'm thinking so much about this. It's not like she cares."

"Sable..." Mabel's voice was deathly quiet.

"What?" Sable asked.

"She does care," Mabel murmured.

Sable sat up abruptly. "What do you mean?"

Mabel wrung her claws together. "I don't know if I should..."

"Mabel!"

"Okay, fine!" Mabel exclaimed. "She sent me several letters about a year back."

"What?! So you've been plotting with her?!"

"I thought you weren't angry with Label anymore."

"I am now!"

"I didn't reply...to any of them," Mabel said. "I knew you wouldn't want me to. But I didn't want to show them to any of you either."

"What did she say in these letters?" Sable asked.

"A lot of things. A lot of small talk, about her life in the city, about wanting to speak again. They got more boring and more sad to read as they went on. She...she just sent one more, only a week ago. Look, you don't have to read any of them, but just read the last one."

"Why should I-"

But Mabel had already left to her room and returned with a stack of letters.

"Start from the beginning," Mabel instructed.

"But you just said-"

"You have to read them all. You have to," she ordered.

"Fine," Sable said. As she reached for the first letter, she found that her claws were shaking. For years she had dreamed about what it would have been like to hear from her sister, and now, she had tons of letters written by the sister that had vanished all those years ago.

Sable probably sat at that table for an hour going through each and every letter, and Mabel patiently waited across from her as she read each one thoroughly.

It was when Sable got to the last one that she finally felt her emotions build up. She had read through all the letters reminding herself that Label was no good or "Labelle" she guessed she should say. But Label's last letter was full of such raw emotion, of such sympathy, that Sable couldn't help but believe her.

She glanced up, tears welling in her eyes. She had spent years believing her sister had wanted nothing to do with her, but she knew now it wasn't true. In fact, she'd known since Label had left that it wasn't true, yet her mind had convinced her otherwise.

"She still loves us, Sable," Mabel said, her throat dry as well.

Sable nodded and laughed a little. How silly they had all acted over something that had happened years ago.

"I've been holding too many grudges lately," Sable complained, even thinking to Tom Nook. She knew they'd never resurrect her friendship, but maybe she didn't have to keep avoiding him.

"I know she means it," Mabel said. "Do you think she does?"

Sable nodded.

"Sable, are you okay?" Mabel asked.

Sable nodded, fetching a tissue to blow her nose. She couldn't keep hating Label. She had hated always feeling this sense of anger inside her for so many years. Now, she finally had the chance to let it go.

"Do you think she wants to be a part of our family again?" Sable asked.

Mabel was crying too now. She nodded and threw her arms around her older sister.

Sable clutched her sister tight. She wasn't sure what she was crying from now, if it was joy or relief or sadness. But soon, very soon, she could have all her family back again.

Sable rubbed Mabel's back, glad to have her younger sister with her all these years. She wasn't sure what would have happened if Mabel had gone with Label instead.

The two sisters pulled away, and Sable wiped her eyes.

"Wouldn't it be nice to see her again?" she thought. "I wonder what she looks like, if she's aged better than me."

Mabel laughed. "Well, she is into fashion. Maybe she dresses a little better."

"Hey!" Sable exclaimed, though she knew Mabel was just joking.

"I'm sure she would love to see you again," Sable told Mabel. "Even if we had a falling out, she loved you very much, Mabel."

Mabel grinned, her eyes still lined with tears.

"Oh. Let's write a response!" Sable exclaimed, almost forgetting that in order to hear from Label, they had to write back.

They spent an hour crafting the perfect letter, and when that was done, they rushed to the post office to deliver it. As Sable and Mabel headed home that night, their arms were wrapped around each other as they dreamed of a future that had Label in it.


	53. Chapter 53

Labelle returned home after a long day of work. She had spent two hours after her shift had ended assisting Gracie. Labelle had restocked the store and carried boxes to and from the basement.

Now, as she walked up to her apartment door, her shoulders sagged and her feet hurt. She was beginning to hate her job more and more every day, and today was indicative of that.

Labelle twisted the key into her door and paused, seeing that her mailbox looked slightly open. She froze and opened the lid, finding a letter inside.

 _That's odd,_ she thought as she reached for it. She had just paid rent. She shrugged, guessing it was an advertisement. As she turned the letter over to look at the address, she shrieked and dropped the letter to the floor.

A nearby resident in the hallway shot her an odd look. Labelle smiled weakly and collected the letter, rushing into her apartment.

She glanced at the envelope one last time to make sure she had read the address correctly. She sat down, her claws trembling. Yes. It was correct. It was the familiar childhood address.

Labelle moved a claw to rip the letter, but she froze. Even if this was a letter from her sisters, she had no right to believe that the letter would be kind in any way.

She kept it at the table and poured herself a warm cup of tea. She continued to glance at the pale, square envelope, wondering what it held inside.

Why had they just replied now? Had they not been getting her letters before? She took a sip of tea, letting the warm liquid trickle down her throat. She felt warm inside and gathered the courage to tear the letter open.

As she pulled the sheet of paper out, she could already see the faint letters peeking through. She took a deep breath before slowly unfolding the letter. She glanced away, not wanting to look, but she knew she had to read it. She had always been expecting some sort of response, hadn't she?

 _Dear Label, or Labelle, (whichever you prefer to be called),_

 _This is Sable replying to you right now, but I want you to know that Mabel is also assisting me in writing this letter. We are expressing both of our thoughts in this._

Labelle froze. She glanced at the handwriting, realizing it did resemble her sister's. She supposed she had no idea what Mabel's looked like since she had left before her sister could even write a letter.

 _Mabel wants to apologize for not replying to your letters. She did receive every one of them, but she felt it would be inappropriate to reply, especially because she knew of the grudge we held. She did not tell me that you had been sending letters until tonight, and it was only once she showed the letters to me that I began to deeply consider the relationship we had so long ago._

 _We both humbly accept your apology, me more so than Mabel, I suppose. Mabel still loves you very much, even if her memories of you are faint. She tells me that when she thinks of you though, she feels all warm and happy._

 _I have to admit that I've also been holding a grudge against you for many years, and I'd like to apologize for that. I know you blame yourself for never reaching out, for never sharing bells, but not once did I ever write a letter to you or come after you, which I should have done. So I am sorry, Label, for treating you poorly. I'm sorry I didn't listen to your more when you decided to leave. Maybe we could've prevented this altogether._

 _Don't be too hard on yourself for not caring for Mabel. It was a big feat, but I had help from those in the village. She is loved by many. I think we were all too distraught over our parents' deaths to really think clearly._

 _Mabel and I are saddened to hear things are not going too well for you in the city. We'd love if you talked to us about it some more. (Yes, send a response! We want more letters from you!) You should visit home sometime, maybe even come home...if you're up to it. But tell us about your situation some more._

 _We love you, Label. Even if I was angry with you, I don't think I ever stopped loving you. Please write back soon._

 _Love,_

 _Sable and Mabel_

Tears filled Labelle's eyes. She didn't deserve that letter at all. She had been expecting a letter telling her to leave them alone, that it was good she was sending her last letter. She had not expected something like this.

What did she do to deserve such a loving family? She was touched, yet she still felt guilty. And what was Sable apologizing for anyway? It wasn't her responsibility to look after Labelle.

Labelle choked on her tears for a little while longer before she could finally get ahold of herself. She grinned a bit, thinking about going home. She wondered if everything was the same as had been left. Was the river still full of colorful fish? Did the fruit still taste as sweet?

She sighed, remembering she had to reply and tell them about the city. Was Labelle really able to give up her city life that she had worked so hard to achieve?

She thought to herself. She took another sip of tea and glanced at the letter. She thought of how much joy it had brought her to read it. Her family still loved her. Her family wanted to see her and hear from her.

Here, she had no one. Gracie had never been a friend, just someone Labelle had hopelessly looked up to until she realized Gracie could never be a role model for anyone. There was Harriet, but their visits were slim. Other than that, Labelle had never really formed any relationships with anyone in the city. She was more alone than ever.

She nodded. It was time to leave this place if she could. She had enough money to always take a bus for a day, but she knew she couldn't keep working for Gracie forever. It would be nice to be in nature again, surrounded by the people she loved.

Labelle knew she should probably wait a bit to let the letter to sink in, but she was too excited. She immediately grabbed the nearest sheet of paper and began to write to her sisters, excited to tell them everything that had happened to her in the last twenty years.


	54. Chapter 54

"A letter came!" Mabel announced excitedly as she returned from errands. Sable glanced up from her sewing machine and Mabel entered the shop proudly.

"See. I _told you_ she'd reply!" Mabel announced.

"I wasn't doubting, Mabel," Sable said as she turned her sewing machine off. "What a fast reply too. We only sent that letter a few days ago."

"Close the shop for a few minutes. I want to read it!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable nodded and moved toward the door. She too was secretly jumping for joy, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. Perhaps what they had said had no impact on Label at all. She changed the sign to "CLOSED" and took a seat besides Mabel.

Mabel opened the letter within a few seconds, and both of them violently read the contents. It was a long letter, detailing nearly all that had happened to Label since she had left them so many years ago.

Sable read on and on. It seemed, like Sable, Label had her ups and downs as well. All seemed well when she read about Label getting the job at GracieGrace and the new apartment and increased salary, but her heart sank to read Label's current situation.

"Isn't this sad?" Mabel said aloud, as if reading Sable's thoughts. "She still wants to design fashion, but Gracie is driving away her creativity."

Sable nodded. Label's whole reason for going to the city had been to pursue fashion, and now even that appeared to have been taken from her.

"What are we going to do?" Mabel asked as they finished the letter.

Sable paused and sat back. Label had clearly expressed the desire to come back home. And she knew Mabel wanted her too. But was Sable really ready for that yet?

"She can stay here!" Mabel exclaimed.

Sable gulped. What would it be like having Label living with them again? They hadn't gotten along well before...But Sable didn't know what she was worrying about. That had been years and years ago. Her sister had clearly expressed a desire to change.

"Sable?" Mabel asked.

"I'm...thinking," Sable said.

"Well, we need to decide soon because she can't keep living like this," Mabel said. "Maybe things will work out, with the expansion and all."

The construction project just north of town had been underway. Sable had reluctantly agreed to move the shop's location there, and soon, the bottom portion of their house would be converted into living space.

"I need to get out for a little bit," Sable said.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Mabel asked.

"Can you run the shop for a little bit?" Sable wondered.

Mabel nodded, and Sable stepped outside. A cool breeze hit her as soon as she exited, and she looked forward at the orange leaves drifting down from the trees. She tucked her arms and began to walk.

It wasn't so much that she didn't want Label back. She would have given anything to have her sister back years ago. And Label had apologized. She had told them she loved them.

A part of Sable feared if Label would stay this time. If she grew unhappy again, would Mabel follow her? Her younger sister had no choice but to stay as a toddler, but now, Mabel was perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Sable didn't want to lose her as well.

She continued walking, even if the weather was colder than she anticipated. She knew that an expanded house could be good. They would not be so crammed, and Label could have her space if she needed it.

And what about the shop itself? Sable had been considering buying an extra plot of land to expand the store, but for what? She wanted Label to succeed. Would Label be satisfied with such a small expansion? It would be nothing like the retail store she worked at in the city, Sable was sure.

Sable sighed and kicked a pebble. She leaned against the trunk of a tree and listened to the leaves swirling around her. It would be her birthday soon, she realized. She laughed a bit to herself. She'd only had a few good birthdays, but maybe there would be more good ones in the future.

"Sable?"

The hedgehog jumped and pressed her hand to her chest, startled. She turned her head to see Tom Nook standing there. He was more appropriately dressed for the cold than her with his green fleece sweater on. She hadn't even bothered to change out of her work apron.

"H-hi," she stammered, standing more upright.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you okay?" he asked.

 _Why now? Why now?_ she wondered. She didn't want this to be the time and place to talk to him, but at the same time, it might be the perfect place to finally talk to him.

"I went on a walk," Sable said awkwardly.

"I can see that. I went on one too," he said.

"Oh," Sable replied, going quiet.

"Um...congratulations, on the real estate, by the way," she said, realizing he wasn't planning to leave anytime soon. "That's a pretty big deal. Your own real estate company, your nephews managing your business..."

"Oh. Yes. I suppose so," he said. "Thanks. Hopefully that little shopping centre gets a lot of attention."

Sable nodded, avoiding his gaze.

"You're moving your shop there, aren't you?" he asked.

Sable nodded.

"Congratulations," he said.

Sable smiled weakly and nodded. She began interlacing her claws together, just wishing he would leave. But he still stood there. She took a quick peak. He was staring off in the distance, watching the same leaves fall as she was.

"My sister is coming home," Sable said finally. She didn't know why she was telling him, of all people. Perhaps she knew he was one of the few who would understand.

"The one who..."

Sable nodded.

"Is she?" Tom said. "Is that good? I know you had problems with her."

 _He remembered,_ Sable thought.

"I think so. She apologized for a lot of things. I had some things to apologize for too. Things...didn't go too well in the city for her. Mabel and I want to take her back in," Sable explained.

"Does anything ever go well for those in the city?" Tom asked.

Sable froze. This was probably the longest they had ever talked since had returned all those years ago. His voice right now sounded vulnerable, almost like the young Tom she had known all those years before, but she knew he would never be like that again.

Sable clenched her fists together. She had said it when they got that letter from Label.

"I've been holding too many grudges," she remember herself saying.

Maybe she had let Label back into her life. But there was someone else she had also shut out completely as well.

She slowly glanced up, finally making eye contact with Tom. It was true that his eyes did not sparkle like they used to. Even right now though, she could make out the tiniest flicker of hope in them.

"Listen," she said. "About..."

"I'm sorry," he answered.

"What?"

"I know what you're talking about. You're talking about that day you came to me after I returned. I know I wasn't acting right then. I know I said some things I shouldn't have."

"But things never will go back to the way they were," Sable sighed.

"No. I've changed. But you've changed too. You're not as shy as you used to be. You care for your sister again. And your business is doing well," he pointed out.

"I really appreciate you saying that," Sable said. "But...I don't think things can go back to the way they were...ever. I'm sorry for the mean things I said to you."

"It's okay. You were frustrated. I get that," Tom said. He was beginning to avert eye contact now too. The awkwardness of their conversation was overwhelming.

"I really do appreciate you saying sorry, and...I forgive you."

"You do?" Tom asked, a lilt in his voice that she had not heard in years.

"Yes, but...it was never going to work anyway, right? We had too different of dreams."

"Oh. Yes," Tom said, his voice reverting back to what it once was.

"But," she said, trying to establish eye contact with him again. "I'm not saying we'll be as close as we were, but maybe, we could stop avoiding each other and acting like nothing happened? Things have been so awkward for so many years. I'd love to at least be friendly with each other again. I don't think the friendship we had will ever return, but..."

"I'm willing to try," Tom said firmly. "Are you?"

Sable quietly nodded.

"I do remember your birthday by the way," he said.

Sable let out a little squeak. "You heard that comment I made?"

Tom laughed, and she calmed a bit. "Don't worry. I'm not mad that you said it. I remember that pair of orange scissors I got you one year."

"I still have them," Sable said quietly.

"You do?" Tom asked, looking incredibly surprised.

She nodded. She'd never tell him she sometimes cried looking at it or over the letters he sent. The thing was getting worn anyway, but she'd never throw them out, no matter how many times Mabel pointed it out to her.

"You know, your sister was the one who helped me pick them out."

"Label?!" Sable exclaimed.

"Yeah. I told her I was looking for a pair of scissors. I didn't say they were for you, of course, but I think she knew somehow."

"I'll have to ask her about that when she comes home," Sable said..

 _When._ It felt nice to hear those words. Her conversation with Tom had made up her mind. Of course they would welcome Label home and offer her a place to live. It had been obvious from the beginning. Sable had been overthinking it all.

"Oh! I've got to get back!" Sable exclaimed, realizing she'd been gone for quite a while. "We have to respond to Label's letter."

"Oh, yes, of course," Tom said.

"It...was nice catching up," Sable said, being careful with her word choice.

Tom nodded. "I hope you follow through on that promise like I will."

Sable blushed and nodded before scampering off back to the shop. Mabel was still inside, running things as normal. Sable ran in, all disheveled.

"What happened to you?!" Mabel exclaimed. "Did a dragonfly attack you?"

Sable shook her head and let out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Mabel asked.

"Nothing, nothing," she said. "We've got a letter to write, don't we?"

"So...we can invite her back home?"

Sable nodded. "Yes. I think it'll work well. I can't wait to see her again."

"I'll get the paper!" Mabel exclaimed, rushing up the steps.

Sable grinned. She hadn't felt so warm and fuzzy inside for years. She grinned a little to herself. Today had been a wonderful day, and she couldn't wait to see what the future held.

Listen up yo if Animal Crossing on Switch is announced at E3, I want some development in Sable and Tom's relationship! I was so happy in New Leaf when the sisters were all together again (uh spoiler?). This is the other thing I need. I live for the character development in these games.


	55. Chapter 55

The first snowflakes of winter were drifting down as Labelle excitedly packed her bags. After sharing her story with her sisters, she had been touched and excited to hear that they were offering her a place back home.

And even better, they were offering her a job! Her own space to share her own work! It was more than she had ever wanted. Those creative juices had begun to work again after being pushed down by Gracie.

Labelle packed her things in suitcases, wondering if she was bringing too much. She laughed to herself, thinking of the small bag she had brought with her when she had come to the city. Now, it seemed she'd have to leave some of her things behind.

She hadn't realized how much she'd collected over the years. She felt the guilt creeping again as she thought of how little she had left Sable and Mabel with. Labelle shook these thoughts away. Her sisters had forgiven her. She was coming home...

Labelle glanced at the clock.

"Ah, just about time," she said.

She stood up from her suitcase and grabbed a purse, leaving her apartment and descending down the stairs to the snowy day that awaited her.

The plaza was already filling up with mid-day crowds, especially those who wanted to get in some holiday shopping. Labelle grinned as she walked past them, excited to share Toy Day with her sisters again. She had unfortunately missed the Harvest Festival, but she hoped she'd spend many more with them in the years to come.

Labelle marched up toward GracieGrace, quickly checking her appearance in the window to make sure she looked absolutely ready. She stepped inside, finding Gracie frantically trying to assist customers.

As Labelle's heels tapped against the floor, the giraffe looked up. Her eyes narrowed, and she fled the counter, marching up toward her employee.

"Where have you been?!" she screeched. Her fur was frazzled, and even her scarf was unraveled. Even her make-up (which was always on-point) looked smudged.

Labelle remained silent for a moment as Gracie stared at her wildly.

"We've been open three hours! What charade are you playing?! You're always on time!" Gracie continued. The customers had gathered at the counter behind her, anxiously awaiting to make their purchases.

"I don't work for you anymore," Labelle simply answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Yes, you do!"

"No. I quit," Labelle told her.

At this comment, Gracie paused and glanced at her oddly. Then, she began to laugh hysterically.

"You _quit_?! As if! How many years have you put into this store? As if you'd just take off and leave! Who will pay your salary? Where will you go? Where would you even _work._ I dominate this industry," Gracie said proudly, beginning to compose herself again.

"I already have a new job."

"What?! Where?!" the giraffe exclaimed, becoming anxious.

"It's an up-and-coming clothing store called _The Able Sisters,_ " Labelle told her.

"I've never heard of such a thing!" Gracie exclaimed. "You're lying."

"I'm not. I work there now."

"You-you can't leave! I _created_ you!" Gracie shouted. "Your reputation in the fashion community will be destroyed. I'll make sure of that. Never again will anyone speak of _Labelle_!"

"I'm fairly certain they hadn't heard of me before thanks to you running me around like a slave. Do what you will with my reputation. I won't be around to hear about it," Labelle said. "I'm going back home."

"Home? Your little tiny village?" Gracie began to chuckle again. "Weren't you trying so hard to get away from that?"

"I've learned that city life isn't all it seems," Labelle explained. "For one, it produces some rather nasty people, don't you think? Success isn't likely to be found here. In fact, the city is demoralizing more than anything else. I should've left years ago. Maybe you should leave too. Your mental state is something else."

"How _dare_ you!" Gracie exclaimed.

"I know that you took me in and gave me a living, but that's all you did. You frequently abused me, you never cared once about what I produced, and you're not very nice at all. Who purposely stands around judging people's fashion? Anyway, it seems you're on cashier duty now," she said, pointing to the horde of customers annoyingly waiting to make purchases.

"See how it feels," Labelle said as she spun around.

She caught one last glance at Gracie with her eyes widened and mouth agape before she marched out of the store. Labelle stood up proudly, her heels clacking again against the floor as she stepped out.

Labelle quickly walked to the next block and rested her back against a building. She was shaking, and her heart was beating quicker than ever before. She never once thought she'd have the courage to stand up to Gracie like that. But she was glad she had done it, and she hoped Gracie would at least consider what she said.

Labelle composed herself and began walking back to her apartment. She was now shaking with excitement. Her bus would be leaving in the evening, and she hadn't finished packing yet!

During those next few hours, Labelle kept what was near and dear to her and left the rest for the next buyer. No longer did material possessions bring her as much joy as they once had. She was ready to head home with only two suitcases, and she couldn't wait.

The sun set early, and soon, nightfall was upon the city. Labelle grabbed her things and slowly stepped outside her apartment, shutting the lights off for the very last time. She paused, then watched as the room descended into darkness.

Labelle anxiously took the elevator down and stepped outside. A gust of snow flew past her, and she shivered. In the lamplights, she could see the little flurries swirling around. She smiled to herself, hoping to hear the stream when she got home. She'd make snowmen again and pick fruit and collect shells on the beach in the summer. She became giddy with joy, feeling like a young girl again.

Labelle walked past the plaza, seeing that the GracieGrace sign was still lit up. She glanced at it, though there was no remorse, no feeling whatsoever. The fountain at the center gurgled as it always did, yet it sounded different this time, as artificial as everything else in the city. Yet, the lamplights and frosted windowpanes made her nostalgic.

Nothing would live up to Labelle's first moments in the city, seeing the wonder before her. She wished she could go back to that time, when the city still enthralled her, when it was a place where anything was possible.

She would miss those moments, but not much else.

Labelle took a seat on the cold bench with her suitcases as the snow landed on her coat. Suddenly, she heard the rolling of tires and saw the gleam of headlights. She grinned and rose.

The bus came to a halt beside her.

"Bus to Animal Village," he announced.

Labelle stepped on. As the driver helped her with her bags, she turned back to look at the city one last time. She let out a sigh. She had made many memories in the city, but it was not home. It never had been.

Labelle got comfortable and took a seat. She glanced around, noticing only a few others on the bus. She let out a yawn and let her eyes droop as the lights of the city faded away into darkness.


	56. Chapter 56 and Author's Note

Sable clutched onto her younger sister's hand as they waited at the bus stop in the early hours of the morning. The sun still had not risen, and the ground had been covered in a fresh blanket of snow.

"When do you think the bus will get here?" Mabel asked, as if she were a toddler again.

"Soon," Sable said, clutching her hand tighter. "Soon."

Sable was nervous as ever. She wasn't sure what to expect or how she would react when her sister got off that red bus in the early hours of the morning.

"Do you think she'll like the shop? Or the expanded house?" Mabel whispered.

"I don't know, Mabel. I don't know."

Their conversation was interrupted by the faint sound of tires in the distance. Sable held her breath.

The snow was quietly falling, and the trees were illuminated with multi-colored lights when the red bus rolled toward the bus stop. It was reminiscent of the very night Label had left all those years ago.

The night was quiet except for the squeaking of tires. Mabel led out a little squeal beside her, though Sable was deathly silent, her eyes glued to the doors of the bus.

Sable heard the clacking of heels and glanced up. She froze. A hedgehog stepped out of the bus, though Sable barely recognized her. Label had done a lot of growing up in the past years. But through all the make-up and fancy outfits, Sable knew deep-down that this was her sister.

Label stepped out of the bus with her suitcases, thanking the driver. She clumsily grabbed her things and descended down the bus stop.

"I-I'm just going to set these here," she said, sounding as nervous as Sable felt.

She turned around to face her sisters, looking just as Sable had imagined her. She was as elegant and classy as any other city folk, yet Sable knew Label could never shake off her country roots.

Not sure how to respond, Sable stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her sister. Label seemed to be taken by surprise, but she embraced her sister all the same. Mabel patiently stood on the side, understanding this was more Sable's reunion with Label than anything else.

"I-I wanted..." But Sable could already hear the tears getting caught in Label's throat.

Sable laughed a little, but soon her eyes were filling with tears too. She had dreamt about this day for so long. It had been just a fantasy to her for so many years, but now her sister was finally standing in front of her again.

"Welcome home," Mabel said stepping in now.

Labelle turned around and grinned, giving a hug to her youngest sister.

"Look how big you are now! You were so small the last time I saw you!" Label exclaimed.

Mabel laughed. "You don't look how I remember, but I guess you were younger too," Mabel said.

Label grinned.

"It's so good to have you back, Label, er, Labelle? Which one is it?" Sable asked.

"Labelle," she announced.

"Labelle," Sable repeated.

"It's a name I picked up in the city, but I feel like it represents the city life I left behind. Plus, I've used it for so many years now that Label feels foreign," Labelle admitted.

"Group hug!" Mabel announced, throwing her arms around Labelle again. Sable joined and all of them were wrapped in a tight embrace.

Sable was still a little teary. _This is what our parents would have wanted,_ she thought as they stood in the cold, embracing each other.

Labelle glanced up, looking at the scenery around her.

"Oh! I forgot about the Christmas lights!" she exclaimed, pointing toward the glistening pine trees.

Sable grinned and nodded.

"Wait until you see the house," Mabel told her.

"I can't wait," Labelle said.

Both Mabel and Sable grabbed one of her suitcases and led the way, their sister following behind. Labelle glanced around and smiled at nearly everything she saw, from the falling snowflakes to the large fruit trees. Sable snuck a grin, glad that Labelle seemed so content.

...

The next few weeks were a bit hectic as Sable got used to routine again. Labelle took their parents' room, though it only took a few nights before Labelle visited Sable's room and stayed up chatting with her for hours, just like they'd done when they were younger.

Most nights were filled with fun and laughter as they got used to being a family again. That was not to say there weren't any obstacles. Sometimes, Labelle forgot she wasn't in the city anymore, and Sable had to lecture her about how the household was run, just like she had done when they were younger. But there was less tension now, and Labelle was willing to listen.

Sable loved to watch Mabel and Labelle interact. The two had known each other a short time, yet they grew close extremely fast. Often, Labelle lamented about not being able to pick up her younger sister again and carry her around anymore, but she continually spoke to Sable about how proud she was of the person Mabel had become.

"Thank you for raising her," Labelle had said. "She would not have turned out so well if I was there."

Sable assured her that wasn't true, but Labelle kept insisting on recognizing her mistakes. It took some time before Sable finally convinced Labelle that she wasn't upset anymore.

The new shop opened not much later, and Labelle had proudly displayed an array of accessories that she had spent late nights working on. Her style was much different from Sable's, but in a good way, and Sable looked forward to what her sister would bring to the business.

...

One day in the new year, Sable sat by her sewing machine, as usual, as Mabel interacted with the customers. Labelle was in the other room, though she often peeked her head in to say hello every hour and smile at her sisters. Sable had grown to love the little dynamic they had formed in a short period of time.

She was sewing some new spring-wear when the door opened.

"Oh, Tom, what a surprise!" Mabel exclaimed, faking surprise.

Sable stopped sewing and stood up. "H-Hello," she stammered.

She had not told either of her sisters of her meet-up with Tom that day. Though she assumed Mabel had figured it out since Sable had become fairly quiet on the subject of him.

"Just stopping in to say hello," he said. "I've barely gotten the chance with the new retail business starting up. You look lovely as ever, Sable."

Sable blushed and glanced back down at the sewing machine.

"Well, can I tempt you into buying anything today?" Mabel asked. "Some new tops? These nice pair of slacks? Oh, don't you love the new lay-out? Labelle says its very chic."

"It's nice," Tom said, glancing around at the new interior. He started walking toward Sable. She clutched onto the edge of her desk, giving an awkward smile.

"What are you working on?" he asked, peering over at her work.

"Just some spring clothing," she said. "It's not done yet!"

Tom laughed. "I'm sure it'll look great."

"Who are all of you talking to?!" came a shout from the other room.

"Oh! That's my other sister, Labelle!" Sable exclaimed, leaving her spot in the corner and heading to the hallway. Labelle stepped out, looking confused.

"This is Tom," Sable said. "We're...um..."

"Friends," Tom substituted.

"Ye-yes," Sable said, though she wasn't too sure of what they were.

Labelle narrowed her eyes. "Wait! I remember you! You nearly gave me a heart attack, calling me Sable in the city."

"What?" Sable asked, turning toward her sister.

"Long story," Labelle replied. "I hope that birthday present got to Sable all right."

"She's using those scissors right now," Tom said.

Sable froze. Tom was correct when he had told her that story about Labelle helping with the scissors.

"Is that why you won't throw those things out?!" Mabel complained. "They're awfully worn," she whispered to Tom, before winking.

"They work fine," Sable said.

"And what does your sister do in here?" Tom asked, as they entered the second room of the store.

"Accessories!" Labelle exclaimed. "How about a nice pair of sunglasses? Are you a parasol person?"

"These are impressive," he said.

Labelle grinned. "Thanks."

Off to the side, Sable grinned, realizing her sister had probably not gotten much recognition for her work before.

"Well, I'll be heading out now," Tom said. "It was nice 'officially' meeting you, Labelle. I promise I'll buy some items next time."

"Tell everyone you know about the wonderful things we sell!" Labelle said as they left her department.

"She looks like she's adjusting well," Tom said as Sable walked to the door with him.

Sable nodded.

"You look happy," he said.

"I am," Sable replied.

Tom grinned and opened the door. "See you around."

Sable nodded and shut it.

Labelle peeped her head out in the hallway again. "Do you like him?" she asked.

...

One night, Sable was sitting in her room, going over new fashion designs she was going to use when a knock came at her door.

"Come in," Sable called.

Labelle stepped inside and glanced around. "Feels empty with only one bed in here," she said, looking at the empty corner where she used to sleep.

Sable smiled to herself. "It does, huh?"

"Let's have a sleepover," Labelle suggested. She fled the room and returned in a flash with blankets and pillows.

"Don't you want to sleep in your comfy, big bed?" Sable asked.

"I want to talk. We haven't really spoken in twenty years, you see."

Sable giggled. "All right. Make your blanket fort."

Labelle let out a shriek of excitement and made her own little bed. Sable sat on her own bed and glanced down at her sister.

"Do you like being home?" Sable asked. She guessed she had never asked Labelle the question before, though Labelle had never given her reason to.

Labelle nodded. "It's so much quieter and much more peaceful. I've been dreaming about listening to the river for years."

"I'm glad," Sable said.

There was a pause. "Sable, I'm sorry."

"We already went through this. You don't need to keep-"

"No, I want to say it one more time, not in letter form, not to you and Mabel. I'm sorry. I was not kind to you after our parents died. I wasn't ready to assume responsibility. And I selfishly put my wishes before everyone else," she said. Sable watched as tears came to Labelle's eyes.

"Do you know how awful it was to know my little sister was growing up without me there? Or knowing very well that both of you could be starving and I didn't do a thing about it. How could I think such thoughts? How could I act that way?!"

"Labelle," Sable said, sinking down and resting on her knees besides her sister. She grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed it tight.

"I know everything in the past was tough for us, but it was just the past. What matters it that you're here now, after so many years! We're both glad you're here, and you're doing so much for the shop already. Who knows where we'd be with you," Sable said, grinning.

Labelle sniffled and nodded.

"I never stopped loving you. Just know that, okay," Sable said. "Even when I was really upset with you and angry for what you had done, I still worried about you. I still cared about you."

Labelle threw her arms around her sister again. Sable rubbed her back as Labelle continued to cry quietly.

"Thank you for that. I love you, Sable."

"I love you, too," Sable assured her.

"Is there familial bonding going on without me?!" Mabel exclaimed, opening the door. The two pulled apart and glanced up, laughing.

"Get in here!" Labelle said, waving Mabel in.

Mabel sunk down beside them and threw her arms around her sisters as well.

As Sable held her sisters tight, she smiled. It was amazing how those years of frustration and loneliness were nothing compared to the happiness she experienced right now. They were three sisters, three daughters, and three tailors running their own business and taking on life one day at a time, and nothing could change that.

The three sisters squeezed each other tight. After so many years, they were together again, united as one loving family.

Author's Note:

Dear Reader,

Thank you very much for reading _The Able Sisters._ Your comments and support have made me so happy, and just the other day, I found my fanfic listed on a fan-fiction recommendation site. That is the ultimate compliment for a writer!

I would, of course, like to acknowledge Nintendo and the Animal Crossing franchise. I began playing Animal Crossing back in 2008 (10 years ago...wow) and have been obsessed with the series ever since. It has always astounded me how this seemingly simple game packs so much more into it, like the incredible story of the Able sisters. Experiencing this part of the game inspired me to write this fanfic, and I hope I gave these characters somewhat of a satisfactory story.

I tried to keep this story as close to the original and as accurate. Much of this takes place during the City Folk era (since that was when I originally planned out this novel), but the inclusion of New Leaf gave me even more material to work with! I know there are some inconsistencies with this work. I'm 99.99% sure that Sable is the oldest sister, yet I got confused when looking back on my research again (yes, that's right. I did a _lot_ of research when crafting this story). For some reason I read probably one note that stated Labelle was the oldest, though there is very little evidence for that. I know it's an insignificant detail, but it's going to bother me forever, and it's too late to go back and edit now haha. I tried to keep the characters similar to their games as well, but I know I added in a bit more personality. I wanted to show these characters from different perspectives as well. I wanted to show the prim and proper Labelle as being vulnerable, and I wanted to show the shy and humble Sable being bold at times as well. Hopefully you appreciate these minor changes.

I'm going to get deep with you now (not super super deep, but you'll see). I believe I began writing this novel at the perfect time in my life. I started this in August 2017, around the same time that I left for college. Leaving home is difficult, especially when you're a plane ride away from home and none of your friends have come to the same school as you. Like these characters, I experienced a lot of loneliness, frustration, and homesickness my first semester of college.

During my second semester of college, I decided to speed up the writing process on this book for a few reasons: 1. to write more frequently, 2. to practice writing more, 3. to get some fics done sooner (sometimes it takes me two years. It is a miracle I got this done in less than a year), and probably the most important reason-to give me a coping mechanism as I entered my second semester of college. I did not return from Christmas break feeling very motivated or excited to finish my freshman year, and I figured that dedicating time and commitment to a story that I loved writing could ease that a bit.

I had an amazing transition during my writing spree this semester. Not only did I grow attached more to these characters and the story, but I have improved greatly during my spring semester. I put myself out there more, joined some fun extracurriculars, and I've made a lot of great friends and memories. I'm still not where I want to be yet, but I definitely have not felt as lonely or sad these past four months, and writing this novel has played a part in that. It's crazy, but I'm heading home for summer in only a few days, and I actually am excited to return to college. I no longer obsessively count down each day until I get to go home. So for all those who commented and liked and voted, thank you for your support. It really did play a significant part in my life.

I am sad that this novel is ending though. It has been such a lovely time writing it. I've grown very attached to these characters and will be sad to leave them behind. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

One last quick note: Nintendo E3 is coming up in June. A new Animal Crossing game better be announced on Switch, and I want to see more of the Able sisters' lives in this potential game. If no game is announced, I will personally offer this novel up as a sacrifice to the almighty Nintendo gods, begging them for more content (this is very hyperbolic. I'm kidding, but still...It's been five years.) I promise to make an update note if Animal Crossing Switch is announced.

One last big thank you again for reading this story. Literally any comment warms my heart, even if it's just "cool." I had a fair number of comments, which I'm grateful for, but I also would like to encourage you all to frequently comment and vote on other fanfic author's stories. It really motivates us and makes our day. So thank you again for reading this story. Kudos if you've been here since the beginning.

Much love and thanks!


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